The Chair in the Tea House
by niyaka
Summary: What happens when Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi join forces to fight against an uprising in Tree Country, as led by a perverted missingnin. Kakasaku. Some other Sakura pairings as well. Lemons in later chapters. Please R&R.
1. Mission Details

**The Chair in the Tea House**

What happens when Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi join forces to fight against an uprising in Tree Country, led by a perverted missing-nin. Kakasaku. (Lemon eventually) This is my first fan-fic. Please R&R. Apologies about any OoCness but that is bound to happen. Sakura and Naruto are 20. Kakashi is 34. 

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Naruto, just using them in not-so-nice ways for a while. 

**Chapter One**

At twenty, Sakura had been a jounin for over two years now, but this mission was unlike any she'd been asked to complete before. Tsunade had called her protégé into her office early one morning. A new scroll lay open, stretched across her desk. She ignored the pink-haired kunoichi's confused look, knowing what the girl was thinking: why was she being offered a mission alone? The Hidden Village of Konoha generally sent teams of three to execute missions, but only she and Tsunade stood in the godaime's office. Sakura didn't say anything and waited for the blonde sannin to begin. 

"This is an S-class mission. We have received a request from the emperor of Tree Country to stop an uprising..." Tsunade said. 

"Uprising? But Tree Country is one of the most peaceable and stable nations in the world. Why would someone want to overturn the government there?" Sakura asked. Tsunade glared at her for a moment for interrupting her before her face fell into a small smirk. 

"That's what I thought as well, but there is apparently a compound on the edge of the country where a small band of rebels is stationed. Mainly missing-nin from other countries. Tree Country doesn't have their own shinobi and they need our help. You won't be going alone, but I called you in first because there is some extra information about these rebels you should know about." 

Sakura's ears colored, and her emerald eyes widened. There were few reasons a young, female kunoichi would need to discuss a mission first without her teammates, and she had a feeling she knew the particular reason Tsunade was about to reveal. Tsunade sat in her chair. She spoke out of a clenched jaw. 

"The leader of the band, Hiro, is a skilled missing-nin from Sand. He's also a perverted, old fool who takes to younger women..." 

Sakura's heart flipped in her chest. She closed her eyes. This was exactly the reason she feared she was being called in first. 

"He may try and take advantage of you, but I need you on this mission," Tsunade said. Sakura bit her bottom lip. She knew precisely what Tsunade meant. Sakura was going to be the bait to get the team into the compound. "With your medic-nin and jounin training – from me – you are a strong fighter, but..." Tsunade's words trailed. Sakura stared at her. She'd never seen her sensei's face fall like this before. 

"I understand," Sakura said. Tsunade looked away, towards a window overlooking Konoha. Sakura's back tensed, and she felt a small shiver run up her spine. Who would be joining her on this trip? Sasuke's face flashed within her mind, but immediately, she hoped he wouldn't be on her team. He'd been back for almost two years now, and while her obsessive crush on him had faded well before then, he still spooked her somewhat. He was no longer the same genius ninja he had been before he killed his brother, Itachi. Now, he just wandered the streets, muttering to himself. 

"You won't be alone though. I'm going to ask Kakashi-san and Naruto to join you on this mission..." 

Sakura's tight stance immediately relaxed. If anyone was going to join her to Tree Country, she was glad to hear it was the two people she could rely on most. She knew they wouldn't be happy to hear the details of the mission and would probably argue with Tsunade to change the plan, but she also knew they would never argue for Sakura to stay home. They'd protect her as much as she would protect them. 

"Let's call them in before I discuss the rest of the details. Sakura, if you open the door, I think Shizune will be in the hallway. She'll bring..." 

Before Tsunade could finish her sentence, the window beside her opened, and a familiar silver-haired shinobi jumped into the room. His one exposed eye crinkled in a smile, and he held up a hand in greeting. In his other hand was the latest book in the Icha Icha series: Icha Icha Euphoria. 

"Yo! Sorry I'm late..." 

Sakura and Tsunade stared at him. He was notoriously late to everything, be it training sessions or award ceremonies. He had even been late to Naturo's wedding to Hinata, and he had been one of the groomsmen! 

"Uhm, Kakashi-sensei, you're early." Sakura's voice was small. Had he already heard the details of the mission? And if so, why was he smiling so pleasantly? 

"Hmm?" Kakashi's one eyebrow danced upwards. Early? He hadn't expected that. He'd stopped by the memorial that morning like usual – the reason he was so often tardy was to pay his respects to his fallen comrades – but a tree of loud, mating birds had distracted him from his regular meditations, and he'd left earlier than he normally did. He shrugged it off and took in the room. Why was Sakura shrinking at the sight of him? No, it wasn't at the sight of him. It was because of the open scroll on Tsunade's desk. He breathed in deeply beneath his mask. Tsunade had called Sakura in first before the rest of the team – before even him, the team leader – to discuss the mission. Why? He grit his teeth. This wasn't going to be good. 

"Sakura-chan! Kakashi-sensei!" Nartuto bounded into the room, followed by Shizune, carrying Tsunade's fat, squealing pig. Sakura smiled at the sight of Konoha's #1 loudest, most obnoxious shinobi. It'd been over a year since the three of them had worked together. She'd been working in the hospital while Naruto went on missions with Shikamaru and Rock Lee. Kakashi had stopped teaching genin to rejoin ANBU and was hardly ever around these days. The last time she'd seen all of them together had been for Naruto's wedding. The pig oinked. 

"You know, Naruto, Sakura, you don't have to call me sensei anymore." Both of them pawed the floor. Once a sensei, always a sensei, right? Sakura didn't have the heart to consider herself his equal. Not when he was so much more experienced than they were – okay, really, then she was – and not when he'd taught them so much. She still called Iruka sensei for that matter, and he hadn't been their teacher since they were twelve. 

"Shizune, please shut the door," Tsunade commanded. Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi fell into place in front of the godaime's desk. Sakura's shoulders fell a little. She wasn't ready to hear the details again, and especially not in front of them. As Tsunade spoke, she stole glances at both of them, watching Naruto's horror explode across his face and Kakashi-sensei's impassivity remain stoic. She figured he'd probably gone of these kinds of missions before. She knew that many other shinobi and kunoichi had needed to use their bodies to lure men, seduce them, and whatever else. She'd been trained in the ways of using her figure; she'd just never actually had to use it before. She bit her lip again. She needed to suck it up and deal with it, no matter what happened. 

"Kakashi, you are going to be Suzki Katsuki, a missing-nin from Konoha who wants to join the rebellion. Naruto, you are going to be Nakamura Nijiya, his apprentice. Sakura, you are going to pose as Takahashi Serika, Katsuki's, uh, traveling companion." 

"You can't do that!" Naruto argued. "You can't use Sakura-chan like that!" 

Sakura reached out and placed a hand on the blonde ninja's shoulder. "It's all right, Naruto. The three of us will stick together. We'll be okay. I'll be okay." Naruto quieted, but she could tell he didn't really believe her words. Not that she blamed him. She didn't really believe her words either. 

Kakashi kept his face calm, but inside, he bubbled. No matter how often these types of missions happened, he would never get used to them. To be honest, he hoped never to get used to them. From the look on Sakura's face when he arrived, he suspected this was her first mission like this. In some ways, he was grateful that she'd lasted this long without having to go on one, but it was still happening and happening now. At least Naruto and he would be here alongside her the whole way. 

"The three of you are to infiltrate the compound in whatever way is necessary. You are to collect information on what other people have joined this uprising, and you are to stop it. It's fairly warm in Tree Country right now, so pack lightly. You'll be gone for a month. You'll leave this afternoon." 

"This afternoon?" Sakura repeated. She wasn't sure she was ready, but then again, what difference would it make between leaving today and tomorrow morning. The outcome was still the same. 

"Yes, it takes over four days to reach Tree Country, and we want to disrupt the rebels as soon as possible. Now, go." 

The three headed for the door, but Tsunade's voice made them pause.

"Good luck." 

XXXX

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!" Naruto yelled as she fled down the stairs of the hokage's tower. Sakura doubled her speed. She needed to regroup before facing either of them. Maybe if she just ran home, packed, and played some music really loudly, it'd drown out her concerns. 

"Naruto, leave her be," Kakashi said. Naruto stopped, spun around, and stared at him. "We don't have long before we start, and you can talk to her then. Give her this little bit of time left to focus herself. She'll be fine." 

"That's what she said too," Naruto responded. "Fine, fine. I'll go get ready. But do us both a favor, sensei, and be on time for once. Don't make her wait." 

Kakashi threw his hand behind his head. He did want to be on time, but he had several errands to run before they began. Not the least of which required a call to the other living sannin. 

He knew some people might not understand going to "ero-sennin" (as Naruto called him) for advice on this matter, but they'd probably be surprised Kakashi was looking for advice at all. He did have some experience with these kinds of missions but never with a former student. He didn't like admitting to himself how much this mission bothered him.   
"Sake?" Jirayia poured the bottle before Kakashi could respond. "I'm not sure what you're so worried about. Tsunade's prepared her for this sort of thing." 

"It's not her that I'm so worried about..." Kakashi paused for a breath. He never liked admitting any weakness or fallibility. Before he could start again, the white-haired shinobi interrupted him. 

"You can't always protect them, you know." 

Kakashi sighed. He knew that only too well. Faces of fallen comrades slid through his mind. But that never made it easier. He gulped down the sake beneath his mask. 

"I know what you're thinking. Yes, she could have said no, and you already know why she didn't. This mission is important, it has to be done, and she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she let anyone else go in her place. I wish I could promise you she would be all right and that she would return from this exactly the same way she went in, but we both know that isn't true," Jirayia said. 

One of the reasons Kakashi came to Jirayia was because the sannin could express the jounin's thoughts openly, in a way the silver-haired fighter never could. He poured himself a second round of sake. 

"Here, I have something for you to take..." 

For once, Kakashi didn't hope it was a new Icha Icha book. Instead, Jirayia handed him a small, white box. Kakashi stared at it. 

"What's this?" he asked. Jirayia's face broke into a wide smile. He urged Kakashi to open the box and waited as he unwrapped the small parcel. Kakashi gazed at the object inside and fingered it gently. He bowed to the older warrior. "Thank you." 

XXXX

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief when Kakashi was waiting for her at the meeting place. Early again. This was a habit she could get used to. Naruto would be there any minute, she guessed. Kakashi noticed her, waved, and put away his book. 

"I guess it would be silly to ask if you're all right?" he spoke. 

"Kakashi-sen... Kakashi-sama, I've trained under the best of Konoha. I will be fine." Her inner self screamed a little at the calmness of her voice, but she ignored the little internal demon. Kakashi nodded. She was glad he would be with her. He'd always put his life on the line for Team 7 and Team Kakashi, and she knew that hadn't changed. 

He stared at her for a minute too long, and she grew uneasy. What was he thinking? Was he going to start harassing her with lots of questions? She could guess some of them. Whenever shinobi went on missions like this, lots of personal questions arose. Would this affect their love life? Had the person been with someone before? Did they know how to best use themselves to find out information but also to keep themselves protected? Sakura gulped air as the questions jumped through her head. 

Fortunately, if it came down to it, this wouldn't be her first time with a man, but she couldn't out and out say that to Kakashi, even if he asked. There had been that night three years ago when she and Naruto had come back from a long, difficult mission. They got a little too drunk and made it as far as his small apartment. While not particularly exciting or romantic, it was a release for both of them. Sakura felt bad about it. She knew that Naruto would have loved to date her, but she hadn't felt ready for that. Not until Sasuke returned. But then, Sasuke did return, and it just made things worse. He had crumbled after his vengeance was fulfilled, and his mental breakdown caused one in her. Sakura again turned to Naruto for comfort but nothing more. She was only vaguely upset when he and Hinata finally connected. He had deserved something more than she could give him then. 

But that was some time ago. Since then, she had dated every now and then, slept with a few guys, but never much more than that. Besides with her medic-nin and jounin training, it wasn't like she had all the time in the world either. 

And then, there was that night... 

Sakura shook herself. She couldn't think about that now. As to the other questions, only completing the mission would answer those. 

"There are several hundred people in Tree Country." Kakashi's voice brought her out of her reverie. "This isn't just for the money. We'll be helping all of them." 

"I know that." 

"I'll be there the whole time." 

She smiled through invisible tears. His voice sounded so sure and confident. This time she believed him. He wouldn't let her down. 

"Sakura-chan! Kakashi-sensei! We're all ready?" Naruto appeared, lugging an enormous backpack. Sakura and Kakashi stared at the gigantic bag, which he wielded like a feather. 

"Naruto, again, please don't call me sensei. It makes me feel old. We're equals now." 

"What's in the bag, Naruto?" Sakura asked. Naruto grinned widely. She and Kakashi cringed, knowing exactly what his answer would be. 

"Can't fight on an empty stomach. I have two hundred and twelve packages of ramen!" 

The two shinobi groaned. This was going to be a long trip.   



	2. The Journey Begins

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far. I hope my work will continue to live up to your expectations.

Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Naruto or the characters. But then again, you already knew that, didn't you?

Oh, and I should mention that while I know where the story will eventually go, I'm along with you all for the ride to get there.

Baka Idiot

**Chapter Two: The Journey Begins**

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!"

Sakura winced. They hadn't even traveled ten miles, and every few minutes, Naruto's voice popped into her ear. The first time it was to point out a waterfall. Then, it was a cloud shaped like a bunny. Then, it was a bunny shaped cloud hovering over a waterfall. Sakura knew he was just trying to distract her, but she doubt he had intended to make her want to shove her black-gloved hand down his throat. Though, she had to admit, that would be a distraction.

"What, Naruto?"

"Remember that meadow over there? That's where we..."

Sakura groaned. He was going to point out sites of their previous sexual exploits? In front of Kakashi? She shook her head and tried to ignore him.

"What? You don't remember us fighting those weird Cloud nin there? I mean, it was over a year and a half ago, but I guess I figured..."

Sakura bit her lip. She had forgotten about the cloud nin. Or maybe it was just he'd forgotten about the two of them there? Wasn't that the same meadow where they had camped over two years ago? On their way home from some other extended battle? They had been less than ten miles to the village, but they were both high from the victory and that high had soon boiled over into ravaging each other. Her cheeks colored. How many times had they done that? Not often but not rarely. Again, she felt a slight pain. She looked over at the whisker-faced shinobi. He was still babbling away about that fight, and his blue eyes were wistful. She smiled.

Kakashi noticed the emotions switching across Sakura's face. What was she thinking about? He was impressed she hadn't punched Naruto yet, though he hoped she would because even his own endless well of patience was quickly draining. If the kyubbi container pointed out even one more "sight," he was going to transform from the cool, calm ex-sensei the two looked up to, theoretically at least, and into his own inner Kakashi. No one wanted that. Instead, he tried mentally rereading pages of Icha Icha.

"How's Hinata?" Sakura asked.

Good idea, Kakashi thought. Distract him from trying to distract you. He offered a small smile to her, forgetting for a moment that she couldn't see it beneath his mask.

"Bigger than big. Who knew she could become so huge?" Naruto said. Sakura started to sock him until she saw how happy he looked. He had meant it as a compliment.

"Little Narutos?" Kakashi piped in. The timbre of his voice said it all. Sakura laughed and exchanged a glance with him. The image of mini-Narutos racing around Konoha was cute albeit terrifying.

"She's going in for a pre-natal exam tomorrow. I'm hoping they say she's gonna have triplets! She certainly looks like she could be!"

"Should you be out on a mission like this if she's pregnant?" Sakura asked. She didn't like to imagine that one (if not all of them) might not come back, but it was the reality of their occupation, and the idea of leaving Hinata to raise one, if not more, little Narutos along was sobering.

"She'd have my head if I didn't!" Sakura couldn't imagine Hinata having anyone's head. She was probably the sweetest person Sakura had ever met. And the two of them seemed so happy together. At least someone's love life was pleasant. What was Kakashi-sensei's was like? Sakura chewed her lower lip. What did she care what his love life was like? Not that she'd ever seen any trace of it, besides his Icha Icha obsession. Though she couldn't imagine that Icha Icha could actually replace a person. But what person? Sakura couldn't stop the images running through her head.

Kakashi with Kurenai? Nah. Too good of friends. Too much history with Asuma.

Kakashi with Anko? Yuck. She wore too few clothes to his too many. Too many? What? Well, she did want to see what was under the mask. All of them did. But the idea of Anko knowing was ridiculous.

Kakashi with Ino? Egads. Yes, Ino was smarter than people initially assumed, but she was still an immature twit when it came to guys. Not that Sakura was much better. But she couldn't see her ex-sensei falling head over heels for the blonde bombshell. Not unless he wanted to be nagged all day long or going shopping for hours on end.

Kakashi with Tsunade? Sakura burst out laughing. Naruto and Kakashi immediately turned their heads to stare at her. She tried waving them away but she couldn't stop laughing.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked. Sakura clamped her mouth shut and laughed through closed teeth. But when she saw how Kakashi's exposed eye bore into her, the laughter trailed away.

Kakashi with me? She shook her head, trying to force out the image forming in her head. Besides, she said to herself, who is going to want to be with me after this mission is over? The image immediately dissolved, and Sakura's pace slowed a little. What if she did have to sleep with that missing-nin? She'd seen other people come back from missions like this. It changed them. They kept more to themselves. Quieted down more. She kind of liked where her life was now. She didn't want to destroy that. But, she thought, this is about something bigger than me. This is what I've trained to do. Complete this mission, and we'll save so many people. She slid her tongue on the inside of her teeth. She had already agreed. They were already on their way. She'd find a way to deal.

Kakashi didn't like Sakura's mood swings. That wouldn't bode well for the mission itself. Not that he knew how to relax her. If it'd been him, he would have just retreated into himself more and followed through on the action itself. At least, that's what he had always done before. But this wasn't him. It was Sakura. When he looked at her, he still occasionally saw the naive and innocent twelve year old – boy crazy and unsure of herself. Most of the time, however, he saw a new and different Sakura: competent and accomplished with a wide range of skills. He just wished he saw that Sakura right now. Kakashi sighed quietly and focused on the forest. They were making good time. They might even make their first stop a bit early. Early? What was happening to him? His reputation? He didn't want to speed this mission up. If anything, he wanted to slow it down until he could find some other way for them to combat Hiro.

He wanted to ask her how she was holding up but that didn't seem appropriate. She'd gone from laughing about who-knows-what to sulking in a matter of moments. He patted his pocket, making sure that Jirayia's item still hid there. Its little, compact shape belied its power. He hoped he wouldn't need to use it.

XXXX

"Let's stop here for the night," Kakashi said. Sakura and Naruto exchanged glances. Neither of them was tired yet. Okay, maybe a little tired but they could definitely keep going.

"But why? We haven't gone as far as we could..." Naruto argued. Kakashi stopped on a tree branch and turned to him.

"Just up the road is an inn run by a woman I know." He turned to Sakura. "Sakura, I want you to speak to her while we rest there." He didn't elaborate, and she didn't ask. She figured she knew exactly what the woman would speak to her about. "Her name is Inoue."

Inn was too strong of a word. The crumbling shack resembled more of an ancient ruin overgrown with ivy than anything inhabitable. Sakura looked at Naruto, but he just shrugged. Still, she thought, it was better than sleeping on damp grass or rocky dirt. Not having gone out on missions often anymore, she had adjusted to sleeping indoors again, even if it was at her desk with an open scroll acting as a pillow. She smelled rain in the air and hoped the place didn't leak.

"Kakashi-kun!" They heard the booming voice before seeing the person. A petite but energetic woman skipped out from behind a low wall. She dropped her watering can and bounded towards them. Long tendrils of raven black hair flew out from beneath a lime green and pink floral scarf. "Kakashi-kun! I thought I felt you coming by!"

To Sakura's surprise, Kakashi's exposed eye wrinkled in a true smile, and he shot an arm up in greeting. In even more surprise, soon he was running towards her as she ran towards him. Who was this woman?

"Inoue-chan!" She had never heard his voice sound so bright and cheerful before. "I've missed..."

As soon as she was close enough, the woman yanked out a gardening trowel from her green and yellow floral patterned apron and shot it at his head. He dodged it but not the terracotta flowerpot that followed. Sakura and Naruto stopped in amazement as Kakashi fell to his knees; his eyes growing wide as dinner plates. Again, she wondered, who was this woman? Why hadn't he missed?

"You never call! You never write! You never send Pakkun over! Baka!" the woman screamed. She threw another flowerpot upon his head, which he again made no attempt to miss. She followed it with fresh dirt that smelled of compost and manure. "Ten years! Ten years without a single word! You had me beyond worried, you... you... Baka!"

Kakashi finally regained his composure, stood up, and bowed low towards the woman. "Inoue-chan, you must forgive me. I am sorry. If I had known it would be ten years..."

"What do you want?" The fury was gone from her voice but so was any attempt at cheerfulness. She eyed Naruto and Sakura carefully, and Sakura could feel her giving her body the once over. What was she checking for? "Ah, I think I know exactly what you want. Well, it's no good. I'm out of business. Go somewhere else."

Again, Kakashi did something wholly unexpected. He got down on both knees, cupped his hands, and stretched them out towards her. Sakura felt sick to her stomach. Her former teacher would rather eat infected toe slugs than beg anyone for anything. It was beneath him.

"Inoue-chan, please, I ask you from the deepest spring of my heart. We need your assistance, and you are the only one who can provide it. Please do not turn us away." The woman looked only slightly moved. She kept her dark eyes firmly on Sakura and wiped her dirty hands on her apron. "Plus, I might have another incentive..." Now, Inoue turned and regarded Kakashi. This new incentive obviously perked her interest. Sakura could feel this had something to do with her, but she wasn't sure she wanted to work with this woman.

Kakashi tried to ignore Sakura's and Naruto's piercing stares boring into his back. Not exactly his shining moment. But he had promised to keep Sakura safe, and Inoue was the best person to get her ready. He wanted to say to her that if she would just come back to Konoha, she wouldn't have to go through another ten years without seeing him, but he didn't. She knew it as well as he did.

Inoue's face returned to the cheery smile they'd seen at the beginning. At least she had given in. Begging was only an option when he knew it would get him what he wanted. And even then, it felt so disgraceful. Naruto and Sakura would never let him forget this. He sighed as they followed Inoue back to her ramshackle home. So he'd lied when he called it an inn. Sakura would have stopped in her tracks and turned around for home if he'd actually told her what it was. He was already bracing himself for the fierce and angry looks he was bound to get from her. All he could hope was that her pride would keep her from actually exploding on him with the full force and fury of her wrath.

Rain began to fall lightly. Sakura craned her neck to watch it come down. She guessed she'd probably be drier out here than in that sorry excuse for a structure. People really came here to stay? The place didn't look like it'd been visited in, well, ten years. She looked towards Kakashi. Wasn't that the last time he was around here? Could he have something to do with the nature of the building? Nah, that was just pulling at strings.

"Guess I didn't need the watering can after all," Inoue said. Where was this garden anyway, Sakura wondered. As they passed the low, rock wall that the woman had appeared from behind, she saw it was no different from the overgrown pasture surrounding the place. What was going on? Where had she been gardening? Then, all at once, it hit her.

"Genjutsu!" Sakura shouted. Kakashi grimaced. She'd already figured part of it out. The angry stares were going to come soon.

"Yeah, yeah, I don't like people barraging in on my place." Inoue's voice was nonchalant. "Release it for yourself."

"Kai!" Sakura and Naruto both said, forming the seal to release the mind control device. Immediately, the overrun shack melted, and a magnificent but miniature castle grew in its place. The brick structure was out of a European fairy tale, complete with stained glass windows and circular turrets. Long beds of pink, white, and purple flowers encircled the building. Sakura could hear someone singing in the distance. What was this place? Why was it hidden by a genjutsu? Who was this woman?

"Welcome to my home, a refuge for all weary travelers." Inoue's dark eyes focused on Kakashi, who had resumed his stoic stare. "Welcome to La Maison de la Nuit – The House of the Night."

Red, prickling anger crept up Sakura's neck before she even realized where she was and what was going on. Why the hell were they stopping at a brothel?


	3. Outside the Brothel

Disclaimer: Second verse same as the first: Naruto and all the characters, places, copyrighted ideas within the Narutoiverse do not belong to me. I make no money, no fame, no fortune (uhm, I guess that's redundant) from this. I just appease my Kakasaku obsession. Though my first fanfic obsession was (err, is?) still with RenxIchi from Bleach. No yaoi currently planned for this fic.

Thanks to everyone for reviewing. It's no fun writing this stuff just for myself. Okay, well, maybe it's some fun, but it's way more fun to share with all of you strangers :)

**Chapter Three: Outside the Brothel**

A window on the second floor of the castle opened, and a young woman with long, strawberry red hair leaned out. Only some well-placed flowerpots covered her. She waved at the group while yelling, "Kakashi-kun! Kakashi-kun! You're back!" She turned from the window, revealing a pearly white back, and shouted into the recess of the room, "He's back! He's back!"

Within moments, several castle doors opened, and a stream of young, beautiful, vivacious women trickled out, each bedecked in fewer clothes than the one before. Kakashi blushed above his mask, straightened a little more than normal, and threw a hand behind his head. "Kakashi-kun!" the women chanted. Oh boy, he thought, this isn't going to be good.

Naruto raced in front of Kakashi, wide eyed at the vision of the harlots waiting for Kakashi to enter the brothel. Blood seeped from his nose, and his hands stretched from his body, trembling. Sakura round-house kicked him into a flower bed.

"You're married, you idiot! Remember Hinata?"

Naruto looked up from the ground with a dreamy expression. "Hinata..." Then, he shook his head, jumped up, and slapped his forehead protector. "She's going to kill me! Kakashi-sensei, I can't go in there."

"You can't stay out here either. The rain's coming down harder," Inoue said. Her voice had deepened. Sakura hadn't noticed when she changed from her oddly colored floral gardening ensemble to the black, clingy, sparkling evening gown she now donned. She briefly wondered if the pouring rain would damage it.

Naruto shook his head. "I can't go in there. My wife is waiting for me back home."

"I'm sure that's the case for many of our clients..."

"She's pregnant!" Naruto whined. Sakura smiled a little. She was impressed to see how devoted he was. "With _my_ children! I can't go in there!" He stomped his foot and made a face like he was twelve again. 

Inoue crossed her arms. "Well, I suppose you could stay in the gardening shack."

Naruto paused to consider the idea, as several large droplets splashed against his forehead protector. With a grunt, he nodded. Inoue rolled her eyes and started to lead him away. As she walked off, she shouted orders to the girls hanging around. "Get inside, every one of you. I know you're excited to see him return, but I can't risk any of you catching a cold or worse! Inside, now!" With whines, the girls trampled back inside.

Now just Kakashi and Sakura stood alone in the rain. Kakashi's hand lingered behind his head, which drooped on his shoulders.

"Well, at least now I know two things," she started, bitterness fueling her voice.

"Hn..." was Kakashi's non-committal response. He lifted his chin a few inches and chanced a look at her. She took that as a sign to continue.

"One. I now know where Jiraiya gets his ideas for his Icha Icha books..."

She knew what was in those books? Kakashi was surprised by that one. Though then again, why would it be surprising at all? He only carried the orange and green covered books with him all the time. And his former students were above age now. It made sense that they'd actually look at the books themselves – if for no other reason then to see what he enjoyed about them. For a brief moment, he literally tingled at the idea of Sakura perusing an edition of Icha Icha before shuddering and pushing the thought aside.

"And two. I also now know what you really think of this mission."

He stood dumbfounded. Did she really think that he considered her to just be some whore? That wasn't at all what he had intended. He had simply hoped that Inoue could ease her concerns and give her some advice. He knew that Sakura's kunoichi classes covered seduction, but these women were the real experts. He figured they could get her to relax a little and help her deal with those strange, switching emotions. Why else would he have come here? Have begged Inoue? Then again, once all those tarts appeared in the doorways and windows, she probably got a very different idea as to why he had come here at all. He opened his mouth to explain but Sakura beat him to the punch.

"So, Kakashi-_kun_, why don't you go enjoy your friends in there? I'm going to the gardening shed with Naruto. I never thought I'd say this, but today, he's a better man than you." She started to walk away when she stopped and without looking back at him, added, "You know, when Tsunade first told me about this mission, I was more than just a little nervous. I was scared. But then when she told me you'd be leading it, I had felt enormous relief. But now, thanks to you, I'm just numb. And I guess that was probably your idea with this. So thank you. Now I'm ready to go fuck some old, perverted freak." She continued to walk down the muddy path, clutching her arms.

"Wait, Sakura..." Kakashi paused a moment, considering his options before giving in and jumping in front of her. He grabbed both of her arms and stopped her. She looked away from him. Thunder cracked in the distance, and the rain came down in droves. "You've known me for eight years, and you have this little faith in me?"

"Kakashi, I may have known you for eight years, but it's not like I've ever really _known_ you. And from what I can pull together? You are a talented, tardy fool addicted to Icha Icha who can sometimes turn completely sadistic on your own team. How would I know you wouldn't do this? I told you that I get it. You want me to be able to handle what's coming next, so you bring me here. What could make more sense?" The words flooded from her mouth. If she didn't talk, she was going to fight, and since she knew she wouldn't win in a fight with her former sensei, she chose this method instead.

Kakashi dropped his arms and stared at his feet. Sakura made a move to walk around him when his words made her pause. "Sakura-chan..." She couldn't recall him calling her that before. "The last thing I would ever want is for you to be ready to sleep with some old, perverted freak. I don't want you have to do anything like that. Ever. You are too bright, vibrant, and beautiful to have that drained from you because of a mission. Even if it's to save lives. You do know this about me – the lives of my teammates always take priority over the mission."

Tears pooled in her eyes, though she wasn't sure why. She just suddenly felt completely and utterly exhausted. "So, then, why? Why are we here?"

"We're not here so that Inoue-chan can teach you how to become a better seductress..." He hated using that word in conjunction with his former pupil. "We're here because she is the mother hen of this place. She has her own team she watches out for, and she's taught her girls how to handle unruly customers. You saw first hand the genjutsu she uses to hide this place. It's not for everyone."

"But it is for you?" Sakura spat the words out. She didn't like the images dancing through her head. Kakashi with this tramp or that one. Suddenly, even Anko was a more appealing match for him. She didn't know why she cared, but even if it was ten years ago, she loathed the idea of him being here at all.

Kakashi sighed. He was overcome with the urge to grab her and hold her close to him but that wouldn't be appropriate. Instead, they continued to stand there, in the rain, not looking at each other.

"Sakura-chan..." His voice was quieter now, and she knew it wasn't because the thunder roared closer. "I went through a phase where I was as angry as Sasuke was." At the mention of her former teammate's name, Sakura's head lifted and turned. "Everyone I had ever cared for had died. Everything inside of me had died along with them." He slouched ever lower. He had never told anyone about this, and he wasn't sure he should be telling her now, but he couldn't let her continue being angry with him. Not if he was going to lead her through this. "It's not good to be numb, Sakura. To be dead inside. I wanted to feel something. Anything. I made many mistakes."

"Like coming here?"

"Coming here was a mistake and it also wasn't. I came here for the wrong reasons but meeting Inoue-chan was definitely not a mistake."

"Oh?" She again sounded like twelve-year-old Sakura, he thought. He closed his eyes. He was still disappointing her. "Did you love her?"

Sakura kicked over a rock that had come loose in the wet ground. She felt cold. Why was this so important to her? She didn't care that Naruto had fallen in love with Hinata, had she? She definitely didn't care that he slept with her and had gotten her pregnant. Then, why did she care now that her former sensei might have once loved a woman he hadn't seen in ten years. Then, she realized why she cared. If he could love someone and abandon her for ten years, then he might abandon them or more namely, her.

The question had caught him off guard. Love her? Inoue? Why did she want to know that? She shivered in the rain. He wasn't sure he had convinced her to go inside yet, so he answered. "Yes and no. Not the way you're thinking. Inoue-chan became one of my stongest friends when I didn't have any and one of my most important resources. But no, I never loved her. Never beyond friendship. And as far as I know, she never loved me beyond that either."

"And all those girls?"

Kakashi chuckled. Sakura's head shot up. What was he laughing at? She sincerely hoped that the answer didn't have anything to do with the rumors she'd heard over the years about the potential _other_ uses of the sharingan.

"You know how I can copy any technique I can see..."

Oh, shit, it did involve his famous red eye! Nausea bubbled in her stomach.

"Well, for a mission..."

No, no, she didn't want to listen! Not to this. Anything but this!

"I had to act as a plumber."

A what? A plumber? Did he just say a plumber?

"So to prepare, I followed a real plumber around one day. And that's all the training I needed. Then, later on, when all the restrooms in La Maison de la Nuit got backed up, they asked me to fix them."

Sakura stared at him. A very different mental image came to her mind: Kakashi standing in a drab jumpsuit, holding up a plunger, surrounded by lovely women and their commodes. She started to laugh as well.

"So you didn't actually slee..."

"Sakura-chan, anything that may have happened was a long time ago and not something I want to think about, particularly not right now because you and I could get pneumonia from standing out here." He changed his tone to something with half-seriousness and half-levity. He ruffled her hair the way he had when she was younger. She finally looked appeased and followed him as he headed towards the door. He paused and she nearly collided with him. "Now, it's been ten years, and most of their clientele are the sort who would have their own plumbers on their personal staff. So, if you see them start handing me toilet brushes, I don't want you laughing."

Sakura shook her head. He really did surprise her sometimes.


	4. The Cleansing

Disclaimer: Things haven't changed from earlier chapters. I still down own Naruto or any of its characters. I don't plan on owning them. Don't even want to own them as they do so well in their master's hands. I just want to keep playing with this idea. Thanks for continuing along.

**Chapter Four: The Cleansing**

If the exterior of La Maison de la Nuit resembled a European fairy tale, then the interior reminded Sakura of a Turkish harem. The walls were painted a deep, lusty red and draped in sparkling, translucent fabrics. Endless woven rugs with intricate patterns stretched down candlelit hallways. Pointed arches, scalloped mouldings, and carved wooden doors beckoned. Sweet, exotic aromas that she couldn't place filled her senses. She felt transported.

"I've never been anywhere like this..."

"No, I wouldn't have thought so," Kakashi replied. His eye creased in a smile again. This truly was a magical place, wasn't it, she thought. "I promise it's safe, so you can release my arm whenever you want." Sakura blushed, not realizing she had grabbed his sleeve the moment they entered the castle. She smiled an apology and let her hands loose.

"Where did everyone go?" she asked. Kakashi shrugged. Wasn't it just moments ago that the place was flooded with voluptuous young women? Was that just a genjutsu as well? No, because Kakashi seemed to know them. She just hoped he didn't _know_ them. Or at least not many of them. Her nose crinkled. She really didn't want to think about this.

Suddenly, two young women in matching white dresses appeared beside them. They looked identical except one possessed long blonde tresses and the other black. The blonde carried a silver filigree tray with two cups of steaming tea. Sakura smelled something fragrant radiating from the cups but didn't recognize the scent. The dark-haired beauty carried what appeared to be fresh, white towels. No, they were robes, she realized. Were they supposed to change? Right here?

"You are both soaked," the blonde said.

"Please follow me into this room," said the brunette.

"There are changing facilities within."

"Please take some tea."

"You must be tired."

Their voices played a hypnotic rhythm in Sakura's ears. She let herself be ushered into a room and then into a smaller, changing room, covered by a large blue - green drape, speckled with round, silver sequins. Another attendant – with hair the color of fine sand – assisted her out of her drenched jounin uniform and into the waiting, warm robe.

The attendant gestured for her to sit on a plush chair, which Sakura obliged. She sipped the tea and felt it trickle down her throat. Somewhere in the background, an instrument like a harp played. A lyre, maybe? A mandolin? She couldn't be sure. The attendant opened bottles of mysterious oils, poured them onto her hands, and lathered her palms and fingers with the strange, opalescent substance which smelled faintly of the sea. Sakura didn't protest as the woman began massaging the oils into her pink hair and then deep into her scalp. Her hands played her like a piano, and for the first time during this trip, Sakura relaxed.

"You have such a unique color, Miss Haruno-san." The woman's voice was light and melodious. "I have never seen such a shade of pink before."

"Thank you." Sakura's voice drifted in and out. "Those oils... that lotion... it feels amazing."

"Thank you, Miss Haruno-san. Inoue-chan ordered only the very best of our collection for you."

"Why? Because I'm with Kakashi-kun?"

"I do not know for sure, but I suppose that must be it. He is a very special man at La Maison de la Nuit," the attendant replied. Sakura looked up at her. What did she mean by that? A now familiar tingle ran up her spine.

"What do you mean by _special_?" She tried to sound nonchalant.

"You will have to ask Inoue-chan personally, Miss Haruno-san. I only know him by reputation. The girls here are very fond of him," she answered. Sakura's stomach knotted. She tried to push the thought away, but it continued to burrow deeper into her being. She tried to think about and remember if she had ever felt this way before. Had she ever spent time thinking so much about his past life? On what – or who – he might have done? Sakura's brow furrowed. "What is wrong, Miss Haruno-san? Do you not like this oil or the way I am massaging your crown?"

"Oh, oh, no, it's all lovely. Beyond lovely. I just..." She stopped. She didn't need to explain her thoughts to this girl. "You are doing a wonderful job."

"Thank you, Miss Haruno-san." The attendant made a few final sweeping motions, signaling the end of the scalp massage. She rinsed her hands in a basin of rosewater and brushed Sakura's hair before opening a new series of bottles. "Please remove your robe." Sakura paused without saying anything. "I apologize if you are uncomfortable. If you would prefer, I will just apply the oils to your hands and feet, but I do recommend applying them to the entire body. I assure you that they will make you feel wonderful."

Sakura smiled and discarded the robe. The attendant continued the massage on her face and body. Soon the pink-haired fighter had again dissolved into a puddle of mush under the experienced touch of the attendant's hands. When the girl finished, she felt cleaner than after any shower or bath and more relaxed and rejuvenated.

"Thank you..." was all that she could manage to say.

"It has been my absolute pleasure," the attendant said, seeming to mean every word. She bowed to Sakura. For a fleeting moment, Sakura remembered where she was and considered just how good these ladies were at what they did. She didn't linger on the thought. The attendant cleaned up her supplies, picked up the robe, and disappeared beneath the curtain.

A few moments later, a new attendant raised the curtain. She wore a long, white dress like the others with deep red locks, which cascaded like a river of lava down her pale back. She bowed to Sakura.

"Please stand, Miss Haruno-san," the attendant asked. Sakura stood. She shivered a little, feeling somewhat exposed. The red headed girl looked her over and asked her to turn around, which she complied with. "Thank you, Miss Haruno-san. I will be back momentarily."

The attendant disappeared beneath the curtain. Sakura sat back in the chair and wondered what the new attendant would do. She felt like a pampered princess, and while she had long ago shed her immature girly-girl practices, she had always retained her feminity.

The curtain rose again, and this time... Sakura jumped.

Kakashi appeared within her room.

"Oh! I thought you had finished." He turned away from her. Sakura crouched in her seat and tried to cover herself with her knees and hands. "I... I'll just be outside when you're done." Without another word, he slid back under the curtain.

Sakura's blush spread across her body. Kakashi had seen her naked. Her former sensei had seen her naked. The man whose love life she had been obsessing over had seen her naked. Even though the dark curtain concealed her, she felt even more exposed.

Outside, Kakashi's hands trembled in his pockets, and his open eye stared at the crack where the floor met the wall. Oi, he thought, and after I had just worked back her trust! He shook his head. Then, he closed his eye, trying to forget the memory. He knew that even with all of his training, all of his ability to bury things deep within himself, that he wasn't going to be able to dislodge the image quickly. He was never again going to be able to look at Sakura and see that twelve year old, naive little girl. She had become a woman in all senses of the word. And the way she smelled... Like lilacs and honeysuckle. Even now, with the curtain between them, he could still take in her scent. He tried to walk away, but the aroma seemed to function as an adhesive, gluing him to this spot. Kakashi grumbled. This was not the way he should be thinking about his former student. Not the way he should be thinking about Sakura. With all the will power within him, he forced himself to walk away.

Inside the little room, Sakura couldn't push away the shame she felt, but even worse, she couldn't push out the question looming in her head. Only a little earlier, he had called her beautiful. Casually and not in the romantic sense, she knew, but he had still said it. She scrunched her eyes and tried not to think the question, but the more she attempted to ignore it, the louder it became. What did he think now? What did he think after he had seen all of her?

The curtain lifted again, and Sakura hugged her knees tighter. The red headed attendant eyed her curiously but asked nothing. She carried in a long, white garment bag and hung it on the wall behind Sakura.

"When you are ready, please put this on and join us outside. Inoue-chan will be waiting in the parlour." The attendant slipped out of the room without another word.

With hesitation, Sakura pulled herself back up. Why the sudden modesty on her part? If it'd been Naruto, she probably would have smacked him for his impromptu entrance, reminded him of his wife, and not given it a second thought. But he had seen her naked several times. Well, not quite several, but certainly enough. She could easily conjure... Not that she wanted to. The image came but left quickly. She just didn't care. Yes, yes, he was attractive, but it didn't affect her. Not in the visceral sense.

She twisted a lock of hair and wandered over to the garment bag. Gingerly, she unbuttoned it and stood back to admire the overwhelming beauty of the ensemble. Slowly and with delicate care, she removed the various articles of clothing within. First, there were undergarments of a pale, pink shade that perfectly matched her hair color. Thigh high stockings of translucent pink and a pair of black stilettos with pink rhinestones. She laid these on and around the chair. Then, there was the dress.

A deep, chianti red, flushed with several waves of lighter and darker reds, the silk dress seemed to undulate, like a flowing red river. Why did they want her to wear this? She had only glimpsed Kakashi for a moment before cowering in shame, but she remembered him in all black, even his mask. Was he wearing a suit? She didn't think so. Why a dress like this? Even as she questioned the motivation, she slowly put on each garment. As she added each layer, she paused to check the fitting in a freestanding mirror with a mahogany frame. Everything accentuated her lithe frame and hugged her body in a comfortable way. Had the attendant been able to guess her measurements just by that quick examination? Maybe this place was magical?

She felt unworthy of wearing the dress, but the moment it touched her skin, she wished she would never have to remove it. Sleeveless, the floor length dress encircled her with its currents of red, which only highlighted her pink halo. A small train descended behind her, and the heels lifted her high enough that she didn't worry about tripping. She felt like she could do anything while in this dress. Who ever thought that formal, evening gowns could actually be so comfortable? She wondered if she could fight in this dress, but that would be a disservice to it.

"Miss Haruno-san?" Sakura recognized the voice of the attendant who had massaged the oils into her hair and skin. "Do you require assistance?"

"No, thank you. I'm ready."

The curtain was pulled back and over the entrance. The attendant bowed low to Sakura, nearly touching the rug with the top of her head. When she lifted up, she betrayed a gasp, which made Sakura color slightly. The attendant said nothing but led her into a new hallway and down a small set of twisting stairs. Even with the train and stilettos, Sakura navigated the measure with ease. At the moment, she felt like she could do anything.

The attendant led her through a set of carved wooden doors into an intimate parlour. Inoue-chan sat to one end in a low-slung hammock, atop a small mountain of colorful pillows. Another young woman played a reed instrument – an oboe perhaps – at her feet while a third sat against two pillows reading a book.

"Sakura-chan..." His voice was barely above a whisper. Sakura twisted to see a wide-eyed Kakashi staring at her from across a tiny table, large enough only to hold two, half-filled glasses of wine. Sakura smiled and bowed her head in faux modesty.

He could barely remain in his seat. She had always been lovely, but this was something unexpected. To see all these different sides of her: the intellect, the medic, the warrior, and now the beauty. He felt humbled in her presence. He couldn't seal off the desire to carry her away to some other chamber to view her alone, just the two of them. And for once, he didn't want to stop the desire. Hidden within the castle were maybe dozens of people embracing. Maybe more. He envied how freely they entwined, how openly they unshackled their hidden thoughts and selves, and how decadent that must feel. He didn't want to think about the logistics and the irrationality. He just wanted to look at her in all of her radiance.

Inoue-chan shifted in the hammock. She snapped her fingers, and several girls – some neither Sakura nor Kakashi had seen a moment ago – appeared at the ready.

"All right, ladies, rip it off of her. Tear it all to shreds."


	5. Training

Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto. Thanks for all the reviews. I'm so pleased that people enjoyed my cliffhanger. And now, without further ado, the big reveal...

**Chapter Five: Training**

Sakura froze as the women swarmed her. Everything seemed to slow down. She hadn't noticed how long their fingernails were – like a falcon's talons. The women stretched out their arms to tackle her as Kakashi had leapt into the air to rescue her. Rescue her? She was more than capable... Not that she was doing anything right now. She just stood completely still and watched as everyone neared. Until they stopped.

"That's the best you've got?" Inoue's voice ripped through the melee. Sakura hiccuped. Everyone around her had halted, frozen in formation. Kakashi was stuck in mid-flight. "Were you really one of _his_ students? I definitely don't believe you apprenticed under Tsunade-sama. I know her. She'd never let something like this happen to her. Not without a fight."

"I... I..." Sakura couldn't figure out what to say. What was going on? Why had Inoue ordered them to attack her? Why had they frozen in mid-assault? Why wasn't she doing anything? Inoue slid off the hammock and sauntered over to Sakura and the people arrested in space. She placed a languid hand on Kakashi's outstretched calf, using it as a rest board. Inoue glared at Sakura.

"I'm really not sure that I want to teach you anything. Not if you're just going to tense up and do nothing with it. Techniques are useless if you don't actually utilize them, you know."

"This... This was a test?" The words felt clumsy in her mouth. A minute ago, she had felt like a woman, wearing this unbelievable dress and receiving that wide-eyed reaction from a certain silver haired jounin. Now, she had suddenly regressed ages. Sakura pushed her toes into the rug.

"He said that you were a smart one, but now I'm doubting his own intelligence." Inoue gazed up at the paused fighter. She sighed and shook her head. Then, she returned to look at Sakura, who shrank under the weight of her watch. "My girls quickly learn that even the most idyllic of situations can turn ugly. Faster than you can say chrysanthemum. Any girl who stays at La Maison de la Nuit must pass this test, and they all do. Eventually. Each has her own method, of course, but they manage well. This is a test about maintaining dignity. And my girls know that dignity isn't just about that damp spot between their legs. It's the entire package. This dress was just icing on that package – your package, Sakura-chan. Excuse my mixed metaphors here, but bear with me." Inoue twisted in and out of the stopped crowd. Sakura wondered what method she had used to freeze them, Genjutsu? On Kakashi? But after seeing the ruins, she did have to admit that the woman was a master.

"So, you cleaned me, dressed me up, and dolled me out here... Just to get my guard down?" Sakura asked. Inoue's face immediately lit into a mischievous smile. She pushed a lock of glossy black hair behind her ear.

"There's hope for you after all!"

"But how did you control him?" Sakura pointed at Kakashi. She had never seen him fall for genjutsu before. His sharingan was too good for it. She knew about his experiences with Itachi but that was a rather unique situation.

Inoue smirked. "You're not the only one who let their guard down. I had some extra jutsus ready but didn't need to use them. I must admit – that makes me more curious than anything else."

Sakura stared at her former teacher. "I don't understand."

"No, of course you don't. Though I imagine you will soon enough. No matter. You and I have work to do. You need to pass this test before I decide it's acceptable for you to leave and continue with your mission. If you continue to act like this, you'll be in no position to take on someone like Hiro. Oi. What do they teach girls in kunoichi classes these days? But we'll get you ready. By the dawn, you will have become a certified mistress of the night." Sakura stared. A mistress of the night? Her? The idea was both revolting and... intriguing. Inoue's face hardened. "Though I can assure you that the second test will be nothing like the first." She took Sakura's hand and led her from the parlour.

Sakura stopped at the doorway and looked back at the throng of people. Now that she wasn't pinned beneath them with fear, she saw there were only six girls who had threatened her. She shook her head. She could have taken them, easily. But four of them had been her attendants from earlier. They had seemed so... Just doing their jobs, she thought. Then and now. How ridiculous she felt. Not that her team leader looked any better than she did. Kakashi's expression was unlike any she had seen on him before, even if she could only see that little area around his right eye.

"Are you just going to leave them there?"

"The genjutsu will wear off soon enough. Besides, my girls are faking it." As soon as the words escaped her mouth, life flooded back into the girls' faces, and they broke their poses. They assisted Kakashi's body in coming back to the ground and sat him in his seat. Then, they turned and bowed towards Inoue and Sakura. "They are professionals, after all."

Sakura bowed back to them. They weren't just professionals. They were teachers. Inoue smiled and the two disappeared from the room.

XXXX

Kakashi's headache left him with a sour stomach. As consciousness slipped back into him, he fell face first onto the table, rattling the wine glasses.

"What the hell?"

"Kakashi-kun, are you all right?" Slowly, Kakashi raised his head. His open eye wobbled, and it took a few moments for the girls surrounding him to come into focus. He recognized four of them: the two who had met Sakura and him in the hallway, the golden haired one who had taken care of his ministrations, and the lavender haired one who had brought him fresh clothes to wear. What was going on? Where was Sakura? Sakura! What the hell had happened? One moment, she was a vision of red and then without warning, there had been a threat. From these girls? Why was he back in his chair? Had he dreamt the entire situation? Had Sakura not really come down at all? That made the most logical sense. Certainly more sense than his thoughts at seeing her. Those had surprised him the most of all. Even more than the _attack_ – assuming it had happened. There had been few times in his life when a woman's beauty had captured his attention like that. So often, the woman was physically appealing but too full of her own glory or too meek and unassuming to actually be attractive. But the Sakura he had envisioned had been the one he had been waiting for since they had started this mission: confident and capable. The dress had been a knock out, sure, but she could have been wearing a burlap sack and if she had come in with that radiating aura, he still would have been bowled over.

He remembered his surprise the second time he gave Naruto and Sakura the bell test. She had always been intelligent, but the way she split the ground with her fist amazed him – even if it had stunned him at first. Her chakra control surpassed his own. He had been so proud of his pupil, only to soon realize that her growth had little to do with him. The thought nagged him as they took off to fight Akatsuki and perhaps distracted him a little too often. She just seemed able to do anything. She could heal, plot, destroy, and her resilient mind was enviable. Tsunade-sama had worked wonders with the pink-haired fighter. She seemed invincible, and she and Naruto had made for an excellent team. They read each other so well. He was a little surprised when Naruto suddenly asked Hinata to marry him and had wondered if anything had ever transpired between him and Sakura. The thought tickled his brain now as well. Sakura had seemed so jovial in those days but also so alone. Had she spent all of her time pining for Sasuke? Had her childish crush evolved?

Then, Sasuke had returned. February 29th. A leap year. The coldest day of the year. A fresh snow coated Konoha. He hadn't seen Sakura until days after she saw Sasuke. The change was obvious. While she got over her shell-shock when he didn't, some light had withered inside of her. She took on more missions. She became a jounin. He knew she started sleeping at the hospital more. One time, he overheard her talk about joining ANBU. He didn't care for the way she threw herself into her work. He recognized the symptoms. He hadn't wanted her to turn into him.

"Kakashi-kun?"

Kakashi smiled a broad fake smile at the asking attendant. The girls peered over him as if he were a sick puppy. He laughed a fake laugh.

"Where is Sakura-chan?" he asked.

"She is training with Inoue-chan."

"We apologize for the incident."

"But it was important for Sakura-san."

"And for you, Kakashi-kun."

"Please make yourself comfortable."

"We have brought you a book."

So the hallucination had been real after all. Kakashi wondered what they meant by the incident being important for him also. He quickly surmised why they had done it to Sakura. Tough but sensible. Situations like these were so many more times difficult than an out and out fight. On the first glance, they were social situations with people who initially acted _civilized_. Sakura was going to learn how to better read these cases. Then again, he had been fooled too, hadn't he? He was going to have do better. Read underneath the underneath, he thought with bitter sarcasm.

His thoughts were interrupted by the presentation of an orange covered book. Electricity stung his hands as he realized what the girl had.

"But I thought I had the latest copy..."

"Ah, Jiraiya-dono had created a special edition solely for La Maison de la Nuit, Kakashi-kun."

A special edition? Based on La Maison de la Nuit? Kakashi's heart pounded in his chest. And they were letting him read it? Trembling, he took the book from them. The girls smiled and disappeared so that he might read alone.

XXXX

"Oi." Kakashi's head throbbed. He lifted it up. Damn. He'd fallen asleep on the table. Again. The wine glasses had long fallen to the floor, and a stain had set. The color resembled blood. He patted his face. Mask was still in place, but he could feel the indentation of the book against his cheek and eye. He'd gotten past the first half when exhaustion draped its weary arms around him. What time was it? There were no windows in the room, but the few remaining lit candles were down to almost their waxy bottoms. A gauzy glow filled the place.

"You're awake." Sakura? When had she come back?

"Yo."

"We'll be leaving in an hour." Was that an order? Why was Sakura giving him orders? He rubbed his eye. Sakura sat in the hammock. She was back in her jounin uniform. He frowned a little; he had so enjoyed that dress on her.

"You finished your training then." She nodded. "Naruto?"

"Eating breakfast in the shed. Give you one guess what he's having. He's invited us to join him."

Kakashi laughed. He closed Icha Icha de la Nuit, stood up, and stretched. He paused. Something had changed about her. Even her chakra signature had changed. He couldn't say exactly how, but he could register it. He couldn't tell if he liked it yet. But maybe it would be enough. If it were enough, then he wouldn't mind.

"You should change. They cleaned your uniform. It's on the pillow behind you. We have a long day ahead of us." Kakashi nodded. Sakura didn't move. Was she planning on sitting there while he changed? Was she hoping to see under his mask? This wasn't like her. He shifted on his feet. Why was he so uncomfortable? There was a restroom nearby. He probably should wash his face. He picked up his uniform and started for the door. "Wait, Kakashi-san."

Not kun anymore?

"Hmm?"

Sakura pursed her lips. She seemed to be arguing something internally. Finally, she gave in to one side or the other. "Be careful. I think they might have drugged your wine glass last night."

"And why would Inoue-chan do that?" He did feel strangely groggy and a bit off, but he didn't feel drugged. Unless Sakura had already removed it from his system through one of her medic-nin techniques? Didn't feel like it.

"You gave into the genjutsu. She made a strange comment afterward but wouldn't elaborate. I think she or one of the girls might have laced your drink with something."

Kakashi dropped his head a little. He was ashamed of having fallen for such a mundane trick as that. But he knew it had nothing to do with any spiked drink. Nor had there been a poison in the oils that the attendant had used earlier. But he couldn't tell her. He couldn't say what had happened. What he felt happening still. He couldn't tell that s_he_ was why his guard had dropped.


	6. The Morning After

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to other cool people who aren't me. Chapter Six: The Morning After 

_She'd found him on the old training ground at dusk. Was he real? She put a hand to his face. He didn't object. They didn't say anything to each other, but she recognized the spark igniting within her. He stared at her, through her, and she thought he could read her thoughts. He put his hand upon hers. So cold. She could handle cold. It didn't distract her. They pulled closer to each other, and she could feel his breath in hers. _

_They paused before descending upon each other. Furtive kisses. Groping hands. She slid her hands into the folds of white fabric gathered at his shoulders and pushed. His hands reached for the zipper of her vest. Within moments, her clothing had been removed, scattered around them. The sting of icy, night air and frozen ground chilled her, but she didn't care. She just wanted to feel something, and she could sense the heat rising within him. _

_With a surprising hesitation, his hands began to move across her exposed form, apparently unsure of what to do next. Had he not done this before? Was it because it was her? She took his left hand in her right and raised it to her lips. With something akin to affection, she kissed each ridge and expanse before taking his long fingers into her mouth. He didn't gasp or respond except to stare. At the same time, she took his right hand with her left and began conducting a small symphony across her torso. When their hands grazed her breast, already perked in the chill air, she sighed. She dropped her hand. He didn't need further instruction. He cupped her breast in one hand and pushed his fingers further into her mouth with the other. _

_Her hands free, she pulled him closer to her until his hips lay between her thighs. She ran her hands up and down his legs, still covered in dark clothing. She touched the hardness between his legs, and he froze. His face cried out in silence. A smirk waltzed across her lips. For how long had she dreamt of this moment? Through the flimsy folds, she grasped him. The idea that he was hard for her turned her on even more than his touch. A fire flamed deep within her, brighter than the full moon, and as it billowed down her form, she could smell the scent of it trickle from her body. She released him, and her right hand roved upwards for his hem and then inside, but their position made it difficult to reach. Her left hand pushed the offending material down, and now both of them were exposed. _

_He was already slick to the touch but not nearly as wet as her. His hand traveled down from her mouth as she grasped him, and though the position was awkward, his fingers managed to find her opening. They danced around the entrance, and she cried out when they passed over the pulsating nub, crowning the diamond between her thighs. He actually smiled then, but it dissipated as she began to pump him. His index finger dove inside of her, soon followed by another digit. Her eyes rolled upwards as his fingers scissored deep into her. She panted and slid her hand faster. He closed his eyes, and his mouth grew slack. His free hand grabbed her breast, which made her hips buck. He thrust into her hand. With her open left hand, she reached out and took the sack hanging beneath. He gasped at the touch._

_Then, at the same moment, their hands flew off of each other._

_Like sonar, she could feel his desire for her echo off her body. She spread her legs, and he pushed inside. She had to bite back his name; afraid saying it would break this magic, this intensity trembling with excitement inside of her. He didn't bother with soft touches or pleasantries; he just tore at her. She could feel him jackknifing into her; hear him panting; his skin slapping hers; could smell the sweat and the need. She met his thrusts with her own. She hooked her hands behind her knees, pushing them towards the moon. She couldn't hold back her voice; the violence called for her to cry, scream, and yell. His eyes flashed red, and then, he was gone. _

_For a moment, it didn't register. Then, as the night wind replaced his hot and heavy form, she knew he had disappeared. She was left, exposed and unsatisfied. He hadn't finished but just pulled out and away. How quickly he moved. She lay a moment longer, letting the chill sink beneath her skin. _

_Had it been because in the moments nearing release she had given in and called his name? _

XXXX

"What are you thinking about?" Kakashi asked Sakura. She shook her head, forcing herself out of the memory. They were gathering their remaining items and about ready to meet up with Naruto.

"Oh, just my training from last night." It was only a half-lie. She hoped he wouldn't ask more. He might.

"Any good advice?"

Sakura turned her back to him to reach for her toothbrush. Inoue-chan and the girls had given her some of the vials of oil as a present, now that she knew all of their applications, and she placed two of them in her toiletry bag. Useful things for a seductress or a medic-nin to have. She picked up a third, cerulean blue bottle and skirted around on her heels.

"This is a calming oil. Not only does it relax the nerves, but also if it is massaged into the skin correctly, it will put the person into a deep, transitive sleep for at least ten hours. Smells like hibiscus," she said with a cheery smile. She picked up a fourth, cherry red vial. "This oil incapacitates the, uh, client in a different way. They will retain their consciousness but lose all motor functions for about seventy minutes. Smells like chamomile."

Kakashi nodded, looking what she thought was impressed. Damn mask. Obstructed everything. "And the first two you hid?"

She sighed. She hadn't meant to hide them, but she had hoped he would take the hint and not ask about them. She pulled them back out. One was a deep, lush violet. "This oil contains certain pheromones that will make the client desire the masseuse for approximately three hours. The client, let's assume a male, will do anything that the masseuse, let's assume a female, asks. He will become intensely protective of her and jealous of all other men. Her every touch will be heavenly to him. Smells like summer lilies." The final bottle was black. "And this is the most potent. If you massage a teaspoon into the correct places, your client will experience release unlike any he's ever experienced before or will again. If you massage beyond the specified dosage, you will place the client into a coma, though he will continue his, well, high. If you massage more than two tablespoons, the client will die. It has no smell."

Kakashi didn't say anything at first but just stared at the black vial and then at her. He was calculating something, but what? Her ability to use these? She knew he must have been wondering what Inoue-chan taught her. After a long moment, he spoke, "And these only work if you massage them into the skin?"

"No. They can also be added to drinks or food, though the potency is different. In some, like the calming oil, it will actually increase the potency by about two or three hours. In others, like the pheromones, it will decrease the potency by two-thirds."

"And you're going to carry them in your toiletry bag?"

Sakura smiled. "The last thing I want is for them to break. If they seep into my clothes or food, I'll be affected." He nodded and returned to the open Icha Icha book, resting on his bag. She breathed silently. It appeared he wasn't going to ask anything else.

XXXX

The gardening shed was, like many things at La Maison de la Nuit, different than its first appearance. From the outside, it resembled a broken-down barn, but once you passed through its creaky, cracked doors, one found oneself in a luxurious, twelve story gardening palace, complete with a central atrium and a greenhouse on the top floor. Naruto stood upside down from a rafter on the second floor, eating ramen from a cup.

"How are you doing that?" Sakura called out. As soon as she did, Naruto coughed and the ramen rained down, barely missing Kakashi and her.

"Don't startle me like that!" Naruto said. "It takes a lot of concentration to focus my chakra like that." Ah, so that's what it was. He had held the soupy contents upside down using chakra. He really did keep improving, didn't he? With his breakfast gone, Naruto released his legs, flipped in mid-air, and sailed down beside them, landing perfectly. "Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei, I missed you guys!" Without warning, he thrust both of his arms around the cringing pair. Then, the smell hit. Sakura felt like she was going to throw up. Kakashi turned almost the same shade of green as Gai's uniform.

"What... What's going on?" Sakura asked as he loosened his grip.

"You wouldn't believe what they put me through! All night long there were girls coming in and coming out. Each one wore less clothing than the one before! One even looked exactly like my sexy-no-jutsu! They kept trying to tempt me, saying things like, 'Come and play with me, Naruto-kun,' and 'Is it true what they say about Konoha's shinbobi, Naruto-kun?' I just pulled my blanket over my head, but they'd just crawl up next to me. I finally sought refuge in the manure pile in that corner. A few girls even tried to invade there!" Naruto looked tired and almost ready to cry.

At least that explained the smell. But why did they want Naruto so badly? Okay, so, yeah, he's pretty amazing in bed. Especially when his eyes would get that deep red color... Knock it off, she yelled at herself. Besides, he smells like horseshit. She hoped the smell wasn't rubbing off on her. She had just gotten a second cleansing massage bright and early that morning and as much as she enjoyed them, a third session would have been overkill. Besides, after last night, she finally felt ready to face their mission. She didn't want to get sidetracked. Her eyes unintentionally wandered over to the third, silent member of their group. He had two fingers lodged over his mouth and nose. Pity having such a developed sense of smell, she thought with some humor. He really looked ready to keel over.

"Finally, I grabbed one by the shoulders, and she starts giggling like a three year old! I asked her what was going on, and she just laughed harder. So I stormed off until I found another one. She was going through my backpack! Her eyes got really wide when I caught her, so I asked her the same thing. She finally told me. Apparently, all the girls here have a bet going..." Naruto's words suddenly trailed off, and his face turned a bright shade of red. Sakura had a guess what kind of bet the girls had. She couldn't help the smirk. Naruto threw his hands into the air, growled, and stomped off.

"Wait up!" Sakura clamored after the blonde. "Aren't you going to ask how my night was?"

"I'm not sure I want to know," he said, not looking at her. His voice had become suddenly weary. Was he upset she'd gone in there?

"I'll be outside..." Kakashi disappeared before they heard the whole phrase. Poor Kakashi-kun. He did look ill. She might need to tend to him before they continued. The thought made her chuckle a little: the great and nearly invincible Kakashi falling prey to a fresh pile of manure.

"Naruto, it's just the two of us. What's wrong?"

"What happened in there?"

"What do you mean?"

Naruto looked at his feet. "You... You look different." Sakura sighed. She wasn't surprised by his reaction. After the training Inoue-chan had put her through, she didn't just look different; she was different.

"I suppose I do. Inoue-chan helped me face a lot of things last night. She helped me prepare for this mission. Now, I understand what I need to do and why Kakashi-san brought us here," she said. She knew what would happen next. He was going to ask her about the training itself. She bit her tongue in preparation.

"Sakura..."

"Yes?"

"I wish you had been here last night."

Sakura cocked an eyebrow. What was he saying? Naruto looked wistful.

"You could have answered their bet without me having to feign sleep in a pile of shit. Apparently, they knew about this..." He pointed to his stomach. "The girl I caught said that they'd heard legends about jinchuriki, but I was the first real one any of them had met!" She laughed. So they did want to know what special prowess the kyubbi-container possessed. Well, that or if having nine tails inside of you meant having more of something on the outside. Naruto colored slightly before joining her in ribald laughter. Nothing made her feel quite as good as Naruto's laugh. It broke through everything. Maybe she did miss that. Hinata. Pregnant Hinata. She cooled herself down and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto?" He looked at her. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry about what?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't be something more for you when you needed me. And I'm glad you found someone who could be. Truly. And I want to promise you something. I will always be there for you. You don't need me to be anyone special anymore, but I will never abandon you. Not again." She watched him. For a brief moment, his shoulders fell, and his face betrayed dejection, but it was quickly washed away with a stronger, truer emotion. He took her hand from his shoulder and grabbed it firmly in his. She knew what he meant. They were partners. Siblings, really. She smiled. "Are you ready?" Naruto nodded. As they walked towards the exit, Sakura said, "Inoue-chan really likes her gardening, doesn't she?"

"Hmm... Guess so. I mean I just slept in here. You're the one who spent last night training with her."

Sakura shrugged. She wasn't going to let that be an opening into a conversation about last night. Yes, she was ready to move onwards, but she wasn't ready to discuss the second test that Inoue-chan gave her. She wasn't sure she'd ever be ready to discuss that.

XXXX

Outside, Kakashi let go of his mask. The smell really hadn't affected him as strongly as he pretended, but it felt like the two of them had something to discuss, and he wanted to give them a moment. He listened from a window and occasionally stole a peek inside. So, there had been something between the two of them. His heart had pounded a little more than he would have liked at the suggestion. But it was definitely long over. Still, he had actually felt worse when she apologized to him. So he had been right about that too. Sakura couldn't hold a relationship. That meant she did substitute work for love. And she was turning into him. Kakashi shook his head. Of all the things he didn't want to teach his students. Ah well. At least the two of them had found another way to remain close.

"I won't doubt you again."

Kakashi turned. Inoue had crept up on him, and he had been caught off guard. Yet again.

"I take it she passed," Kakashi replied.

"With flying colors. I wasn't sure about her at first, but she's a real spitfire, that one. She'll do well."

He nodded and started to take a step. Inoue's voice interrupted his action.

"She could handle it, you know."

"Handle what?" he asked.

"Your feelings towards her." He sighed. It had been too much to expect that an expert seductress would be fooled by his admittedly paltry attempts at hiding his confused emotions. "And for once, I think you could handle it too. Ten years has calmed you, Kakashi-kun. You no longer appear ready to explode without warning." He shook his head. His melodrama and angst may have withered but so had everything else. He didn't believe he was capable of giving her what she needed. "And I'll tell you one more thing. You don't have a choice. I can read people even better than you can. You may be able to delay this, but you won't be able to stop it. It will happen. And probably sooner than you expect."


	7. Moon Country

Disclaimer: Guess who doesn't Naruto? That's right - me!

Sorry it's been awhile since I've posted. Just been bogged down with work (must pay the bills and save the world, you know). Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed thus far. I promise that all the questions will be answered (eventually) and that we will have more citrus again (eventually), but hopefully this change of scenery will give you something new to play with. I can also promise that it serves a purpose and will help us on our way to the joys of KakaSaku. Okay, enough rant. More reading! (And reviewing!) Thank you.

**Chapter Seven: Moon Country**

"Hurry up, we've got three more days until we reach Tree Country!" Naruto bounded ahead of them, nearly colliding with a tree branch. At the last second, he twisted, rolled in mid-air, and missed. Show-off, Sakura thought with a smile.

"Actually..." Sakura looked towards the rising sun. She had always hated waking up, but the way the plum and tangerine light shifted through the glossy leaves woke something up inside of her. A warm breeze pushed her hair across her shoulders. When had it grown so long? Naruto turned his whiskered face towards her. She sucked in her breath. She wasn't sure how they were going to take to the new plan, but if she was going to do this her way, then she was going to have to take charge. "Inoue-chan told me a shortcut. We can cut our time to one day." This time even Kakashi turned. His exposed eye cocked in surprise. She giggled a little. It really did feel good, so good, to know something he didn't. "We'll just graze Moon Country..."

"Moon Country? Aren't they an enemy?" Naruto asked. All three of them already knew the answer, and no one answered.

"A little henge should take care of any troubles," Sakura said. Kakashi's face had returned to its normal, stoic ambivalence. Her shoulders dropped a little. She had hoped he would have congratulated her or at least said something about the plan. Was he even approving it? Not that she was sharing all the details. Maybe he suspected that. "If we continue towards the mountain range at North-North-East, we should shave off half a day or more." Again, she looked to Kakashi, but if he was thinking anything, he wasn't sharing it. Well, at least he wasn't rejecting her. She took his silence as acceptance. "Follow me."

She shifted her direction, continued on, and after a moment, chanced a glance over her shoulder. They were following. Both of them. She rolled her head on her neck, cracking several vertebrae. This was going to be interesting. Very interesting.

XXXX

What did she have in mind? He couldn't help wondering as they closed in on Moon Country. The elevation had increased by almost a thousand meters. Trees gave way to craggy rock face, coated in a thin layer of drab gray moss. Soon, that would disappear too, leaving only steel gray slabs. The sun arched high above them. The mountains glistened. He felt as if he were climbing a giant suit of armor. Would this sleeping giant suddenly awake? Again, he couldn't help wondering what was her plan. Their uniforms breathed well but only so much. He could feel his black shirt dampen beneath his olive green vest. Soon, they'd know each other's location by scent alone. Not that this was anything new, but he could never ignore it completely.

He should have asked her questions. He didn't exactly mind this route, to be honest, but he knew she was holding back information. Was it just because he was so used to being the one with all the answers? They were equals now, perhaps, but he was still in charge of them. Not as a teacher but as their leader. He should be the best-informed member of the group. Why hadn't Inoue said anything to him? But at the same time, why all this sudden doubt? He trusted Sakura, didn't he? Of course he did. With his life. At any moment, he could catch up to her and ask her where they were really going and what she was planning for them to do. He didn't need to just follow behind like he was.

Curiosity.

That's why he was letting her lead like this. Pure and simple. He was curious. It was the same curiosity he felt when he opened a new Icha Icha volume. He desperately wanted to know the end, but he wouldn't forgo the journey. That took away any fun to be had. He swallowed back his questions and concerns and followed. He had done it many times before. Former senseis, ANBU, the hokages. Just never with a former pupil.

"Let's take a break up ahead. There's a small plateau hidden by that rugged line." Sakura pointed up a hundred meters. Not far. Naruto nodded. She knew he had an endless well of energy, but she could almost see the drool collecting at the corners of his mouth. Ready for lunch. She looked to Kakashi and briefly caught eyes with him. He made his fake-smile expression, and she decided to take it at face value. If he wanted to say something, he would. Besides, it was better this way. The fewer questions asked, the easier this all would work. "I'd also recommend that henge right about now."

Naruto nodded. Sakura's teeth grazed her lower lip. He had always been an excellent quick-change artist, but she never knew what he was going to select. Besides the whole sexy-no-jutsu concern, he'd once decided to try out different people from Konoha. Looking like Kiba or Shikamaru was fine, but when Naruto decided to look like Tsunade-sama, she had knocked him over his head. When he changed into a bare-chested Sasuke, wind in his hair, a glisten of sweat upon his brow, and riding a gallant white horse, the nose-bleed pooled at her feet. When she had finally recovered her senses, she punched him higher than the Hokage's tower. Fortunately for this mission, he chose a rather indistinct young man with mousy brown hair and civilian's clothing.

However, she couldn't understand what Kakashi was up to. Kakashi's henge involved coloring his spiky hair neon lime green. His uniform transformed into chartreuse colored robe and mask. He did lose the hitae-ate, but both of his eyes turned the same shade. She couldn't help the confusion descending across her face.

"Subtlety?" she asked.

"You want us to break around here. We'll hide in the trees. I've seen Moon Country trees before. I'll match perfectly." He shrugged.

He did have a point there. He would exactly match the leaves. Though she kind of enjoyed how obvious he looked right now. Such the opposite of what she normally associated with him. In a strange way, he reminded her of Naruto's old orange uniform. She'd been somewhat sorry to see the blonde exchange it for the dowdy jounin uniform. Even though even she had lost her red costume to the olive ensemble, she missed the individuality they used to display. Not that she minded all that much. Blending in with the other jounin gave her both anonymity and authority. Sure, her pink hair called her out again, but she could always change it with a henge or hide it under the bandana of hitae-ate.

Neon lime green suited Kakashi. He reminded her of a clown at her third birthday party. Of course, the clown had scared into a fit of endless sobs, but now that she had gotten past her old phobia, she found the color friendly and inviting on him. She had the strange desire to touch his hair and gaze deep into his eyes. She shook her head. There would plenty of time later to obsess over silly things.

She performed her own henge. Her pink hair disappeared into a sea of dark curls. Her outfit retained the earth tones of the mountain and forest, but instead of hot, sweaty uniforms, it flowed into robes. Moon Country robes were famous for their intricate pattern work and light comfort. They insulated in the winter and conditioned in the summer. She had been upset when she had to give up the robe the first time. It felt more natural than anything else she wore.

Kakashi snuck a look at Sakura. Her robe was lined with tiny shurikens and kunai. Like his bedspread back home. At first he laughed at the thought of her wearing his bedspread, until the image spread further across his mind. What if that fabric slipped just a little? Had she ever seen his bed? Would she want to? Would she wear nothing besides the bedspread? He didn't realize he was tearing as deep into his lips and knuckles until the blood trickled. Damn Inoue. Part of him wanted nothing more than to rip those flowing robes and see what he had enjoyed so briefly the night before. Had it only been that recently he had actually seen her naked? The creamy silk of her skin... The peek of pink nipple... Oh, Kami, he wished they would get moving again soon. Then, his prayers were answered. Something... No, someone moved up ahead. His guard went back up, and his thoughts descended back into the deep recesses they had streamed from, dammed back up by concern. Thank Kami.

Then, nothing happened. Damn. He had no choice but to revisit his thoughts again. Thoughts of her and that robe. The robe lying on the hardwood floor... Please, please, please let there be some action soon. Something. He'd give his left hand pinky for something else to focus on.

XXXX

Beyond the ridge was a flat meadow, nearly encircled by a horseshoe of tall pine trees. It stood about the same size as their old training grounds. Colder up here, and breathing was no longer involuntary, requiring thought and a small exertion of energy. Sakura smiled. Just as she remembered. They each found a branch, and Naruto passed around his favorite rations.

"Idatakimasu!" Naruto cried happily before digging into his instant ramen. Sakura tossed a chopstick at him. He glared until his blue eyes aligned with her pointing index finger. Three young children, maybe twelve, maybe thirteen, appeared on the edge of the meadow. They searched the grounds, but Sakura knew they wouldn't find them in the trees.

The children huddled into a circle before splitting up; each searching a different part of the meadow. One boy with ruddy hair and deep red eyes strode up a tree with excellent chakra control. Sakura's heart jumped a little. Impressive as always. He jumped from branch to branch before coming back to where he began, apparently unhappy with his current search pattern. He crossed to another tree and began again.

A wan girl with a knee length, black ponytail seemingly glided into the center of the grassy meadow and put both hands on the ground. A silvery-blue light flooded from them as her eyes closed. She was the one to watch out for, Sakura thought. She might even surpass Naruto one day. She turned his way and watched his stunned stare with secret pleasure.

A second girl with stringy, ashen blonde curls and eyes like seashells pulled out a small notepad and pencil. She walked up to the first girl with the chakra still pulsating from her hands. The blonde surveyed her actions before turning and searching for the boy. When their eyes met, he shrugged. She stuck a long, pale finger out, as if she was testing the wind. Then, she began writing furiously on pad of paper. The mathematician of the group. She would probably give Shikamaru a run for his money one day. Sakura didn't like thinking of their countries as enemies. There was no good reason for it. Just ancient rumors, outdated lies, and mountain ranges of pride that kept the two from getting over themselves and aligning with one another. Of course, then there was the matter of Sasuke's final battle with Itachi happening near here. The damage caused to the Hidden Sun Village only worsened the strained relationship between the two towns.

Regardless, Sakura couldn't help the smirk tugging at her lips. How much these kids had grown since she'd last seen them. They were still nowhere close to finding the target of their search, but they had become more confident with their methods. She peered over her right shoulder at Kakashi. She had a feeling that he was going to enjoy the ensuing show. He might get upset that she didn't give him a heads-up, but that would have ruined the surprise.

In the middle of their actions, the children suddenly stopped and turned to each other. Fear and despondence echoed across their faces. Sakura tapped her fingers together and crouched lower on her branch. The show was about to begin.

Kakashi sensed the presence again, only strong and unwavering this time. The children were genin. They were looking for this person. They were pretty good, but apparently whoever this could be was better. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Sakura. She recognized the kids. And even more surprising, she was obviously waiting for this person as well.

"You've gotten better," a disembodied voice spoke to the children. They hung their heads in shame. "You won't find me between your toes. Lift those chins."

With a crack of chakra and a plume of silvery smoke, a figure appeared at the edge of the copse. Still the flare for the dramatic, Sakura thought. Some things never changed. She noticed a long noodle hanging from Naruto's gaping mouth. The children lined up in front of the figure as the smoke began to clear. Eager to comply, they held their heads so high they appeared to be sniffing something rancid, like Naruto's manure coated body. Sakura gagged a little. She had gotten used to the scent, but the way the sun tore into them had made the odor worse again.

"Oh, please, no, sensei..." The ruddy haired boy began to plead.

"Not the feather test. Not again, sensei!" The sandy blonde girl complained.

The wan girl with the ponytail said nothing.

The smoke cleared, revealing a young woman with cropped black hair. She towered over the three children. Her long nose twitched, and the children stepped back. Her ears were lined with silver rings. They flared once, and the children jumped.

"I have been more than patient with you three. You still haven't found me when you arrive and you still haven't forced the feather from my pinky, but still, I persist. And the gratitude you show is this? Would you rather we stop training entirely? I wouldn't mind a vacation." The woman spoke quickly but nonchalantly. The genin's shoulders collectively slumped. There was no choice.

A breeze picked up past Sakura's ears. She turned. Sitting two branches beside her was the same woman as the one talking to the children even now. She didn't look at the trio but took a kunai to a pomegranate. The juices flowed freely down her hand. She licked her knuckles. Satisfied with her cutting job, she sheathed the blade, bloody with the fruit's flesh. She looked up at Sakura. Her eyes were a lighter shade of green than Sakura's and shone with a stronger ferocity.

"I thought I told you that if you came back here, I'd kill you myself, Sakura-chan."


	8. Aya

Disclaimer: I own Inoue, Aya, the girls in the brothel, and that's it. Who is Aya? Read on and find out. (It feels weird to say I own girls in the brothel, btw. I wouldn't want to be an owned girl, in or out of a brothel! Eek!)

**Chapter Eight**

Kakashi immediately jumped into a fighting stance and lifted up his hitae-ate, exposing his sharingan. In his peripheral vision, he could see Naruto pull out a kunai. Sakura appeared frozen on her branch. Where was the black-haired woman going to attack? What were her weaknesses? Was this a shadow clone or was it that thing on the meadow? He stared at the woman with his bold, red eye and was surprised by her lack of fluctuating chakra. Completely even keel. That didn't make any sense.

"Oi, Aya, got any more pomegranate?" Sakura asked. Kakashi turned and stared at her, unable to conceal the dumbfounded expression spreading across his face. His mask wouldn't be able to hide his confusion. He had been wrong; Sakura wasn't frozen in place but calm and relaxed. Her legs dangled from the branch. The black haired teacher's face lit up. A generous smile spanned her face. She tossed Sakura a sliver of the fresh fruit, which the pink haired kunoichi devoured in a single bite. Kakashi watched, at first with concern and trepidation, but soon he became distracted by a thin trail of juice sliding from her berry lips to her chin. "I don't know how you all grow all this fruit up here. Seems so contrary to the arid, mountain climate."

"Yeah, well, lots of things aren't as they first appear." The woman gestured towards the scene in the meadow with a piece of red fruit. "They still haven't figured out that it's not me down there. They're getting better – you can see that, I'm sure – but they've got a long road ahead of them." Sakura nodded. The woman tossed her another section of fruit. Sakura sucked the seeds from the ripe fruit. This was all too much for Kakashi. Between her ravishing the pomegranate, the mysterious woman, and their foray into enemy territory, it was past time he was clued in on what precisely was going on.

"Sakura-san, are you going to introduce your friend here?" Kakashi asked. Naruto grunted, though Kakashi couldn't be sure he wasn't just expressing interest in the fruit. Truth be told, after all the ramen, it really did look appetizing.

"Sorry, Kakashi-san. This is Aya. She's a medic-nin like me. And a jounin. Some time ago, I ended up spending about three months out here with her after an aborted mission. We became friends, and she hid my true identity. They have a lot of interesting medical jutsu. Been a while since I was out here. Because it was in Moon Country, the whole experience ended up being classified. Only Tsunade-sama knew. Before today."

"She said she was going to kill you!" Naruto whined.

Sakura cocked her head to the side. "Oh, that? Just a running joke between friends who are supposed to be enemies. Nothing that _you'd_ understand, would you, Naruto?" He stuck his tongue out her, and she smiled widely. Kakashi threw a hand behind his head. Little by little, things were beginning to become clear. So this was why she wanted to come through Moon Country. But why hadn't she said anything about Aya before? He remembered how cocky she had acted this morning, after her evening of training with Inoue. She had never acted that way after training with Tsunade or with him. He turned his attention to the scene unfolding in the meadow. Aya's shadow clone was carefully balancing a single, white feather on her right index finger. The genin immediately took battle stances around her. He chuckled. "Remind you of something, Kakashi-kun?" Sakura asked with a knowing smile. He hummed.

"Hey!" Naruto nearly shouted. "That's like the bell test!" Sakura spit a seed at him, landing it square between his large, blue eyes.

This time, Aya laughed. Her laughter was nothing like Sakura's. The woman practically bellowed like a mule in heat. He cringed. He hated mules. Fortunately, his former students still didn't know about the time he had memorized a vet's hands and birthed a donkey in the desert. Singlehanded. At the least the little thing survived. He still hated mules though.

"Who do you think provided the inspiration?" Aya asked, throwing another sliver to Sakura. "She told me all the evil and sinister methods used by your old man sensei." Kakashi huffed. Old man? But then he couldn't help wondering what she had said and how much she had talked about him. "Of course, I didn't want to exactly steal the test, so I modified it."

One by one, the students attacked the shadow clone, trying to force the feather from her finger. The clone practically ignored their assault and instead reached into her bag. But it wasn't a small orange book she produced. Headphones. Kakashi could feel the vibrations reverberate all the way back here. Soon, she was practicing yoga moves between defending herself from their attacks. He smiled. One teacher appreciating another's techniques. Watching her gave him an excuse to think about the tests he'd administrated, which. granted, meant thinking of how much little Sakura had grown over the years. How much she still continued to grow. How much she made him grow. No! No! He tried to focus on the little, snot-nosed brats, but they kept turning into her: Sakura performing superb chakra control; Sakura releasing the chakra building up in her fists; Sakura calculating the situation.

"Okay, so excuse my bluntness, but why are you here?" Aya didn't look at Sakura for an answer – too busy watching her students fumble in their attempts to dislodge the feather. The two girls banged into each other, and the boy managed to get him caught on a tree branch. Still, they remained remarkably resilient, never giving in, and looked to each other for assistance. They had the talent; they just needed the experience. It would come.

"Mission in Tree Country. Shortcut through Moon Country," Sakura said.

"Shortcut? So you can't stay long?"

Sakura looked at Kakashi. He shrugged. He would be just as happy to postpone the mission, though they didn't have much time to waste. The uprising could occur at any time. Still, they did need to be well rested to fight, and he did want to encourage friendships between their countries. He held up his finger. They could stay one night.

"Why don't you all come back to my place? I don't think anyone in town will notice the henge, though Sakura, you know you'd always be welcome. Heroes being a rarity these days." Kakashi and Naruto stared at Sakura. Hero? "I guess I should get the young'uns together, huh? Oh, Sakura-chan, it's so good to see you. Let's catch up tonight, get a few drinks, and catch up. No offense, fellas, but I think we need a girls' night out. What you say?" Aya asked. Sakura's smile spanned continents. They must have become good friends, Kakashi thought. Maybe this could mean good things for Fire and Moon Countries. One could only hope.

XXXX

"So what was the second test?" Aya asked. Sakura stared at the bottom of her ceramic cup. They sat at a back table in the village's largest bar. It smelled a little like rotting fish back there, but Sakura didn't mind. It felt good to be talking with a girlfriend. Someone who might actually understand what had happened to her last night. As soon as she had seen Aya, she knew she would tell her everything, but even still, it wasn't easy to let it all out. Especially after a few people had recognized her, slapped her back, and kept sending drinks her way. Not that she could blame them. Moon Country had talented medic-nins, but as progressive as some of their techniques were, many others were downright pitiful. All she did was save some kids from a burning barn and heal their wounds. Ever since then, people raised their hands and smiled whenever Sakura walked by. She still couldn't stop blushing. A cousin of one of the kids had even brought her flowers as she was spotted going into the bar. Aya joked that she shouldn't let it go to her head. Besides, the hero of Moon Country wouldn't even be alive if it hadn't been for Aya. Sakura sighed. She considered it even more reason she needed to tell her.

"There were actually multiple tests. Inoue made me revisit my strongest memory..." She didn't mean to pause for dramatic effect, but she still had to force the words out. "Sexual memory." Sakura's shoulders pinched around her neck.

"Didn't you used to fuck around with that blonde kid?" Aya refilled her sake cup and gulped another shot down. She didn't seem remotely surprised by Sakura's revelation.

"He's married now. Pregnant wife. Besides..."

Aya put her hand up. "Ah. You never loved him. In that way. I see. He loved you though. Probably from the moment he laid those bright, blue eyes on you." She slid her elbows across the table until the two ninja were almost nose to nose.

"Yeah, I think so." Sakura shuffled on her seat, uncomfortable by the proximity. "But we've worked something out. He's still my best friend."

"I'm hurt." Aya slid back across the table and filled her cup again. Sakura never understood. It seemed that no matter how much or how often her friend imbibed, the woman just never got drunk. Maybe a little silly but never lost control of her senses. Not the way Sakura had... If she could just get through this.

"Oh, shut up."

"No, please, continue. I'll be good." Aya winked.

"She wanted me to overcome the memory, as she put it. Actually, to be honest, it wasn't just one memory." This time, Sakura reached for the jar to refill her cup. Aya cocked her head to the side and waited. "It was the entire flood of memories."

"So including the blonde kid?"

"Yeah. Including him."

Sakura couldn't stop the memory from forming.

She remembered how hot and sticky his hands had been on her face, pulling her into him. His entire body had been a burning flame to the touch. His eyes had turned red. He snarled. She felt like she stepped outside of her body, away from this fire, and watched from a few feet away. She saw her lips on his as his fingertips gripped the back of her head. Even from the distance, she could feel the fever. They ripped at each other's clothes and lunged into each other's mouths, their necks, their chests... He wasn't nervous or timid but wild and animalistic. He threw her on top of him and impaled her from below. She bounced on him, shaking and trembling, her hair flying in the wind.

His canines latched onto her breast.

She shrieked.

His nails scraped her back.

She moaned.

He pushed harder, deeper into her, and she was suddenly thrown back into her body, sucked back in by the whirling eddy he caused. He grabbed her hips and pulled her down hard, and she couldn't keep the rippling explosion at bay. She clung to him as she released. He threw her onto her back and plowed into her. She came again. He drove into her again and again, causing her legs to fly skywards, and her back to arch. Without warning, he pulled out of her, rolled her onto her stomach and knees, and pushed back in. Wave after wave of orgasm hit her, and he kept going, kept thrusting. Endless stamina. She looked back at him over her shoulder. Their eyes locked. She mouthed his name. He yelled and jerked, releasing deep into her.

She pushed away from him as he pulled out, and they hit the floor, falling immediately asleep beside each other.

She woke up before him. She left.

"And?"

Sakura sighed. She had wished she could have loved him.

"It's hard to explain. But Inoue-chan guided me through my memories. All of them. She didn't ask me what they were. She just asked me to find the meaning behind them." Sakura fiddled with the empty cup. Aya watched her hands, wide-eyed and mouth slightly agape. "She said how I needed to understand why I made the decisions I made, and why others made the decisions they made. She told me I couldn't simply rationalize it with generalizations, like, 'All men do this or that,' but that I needed to understand why specific actions were made. 'Nothing happens in a bubble. Nothing.'"

"So, what? You're supposed to go back and interview all the people you've slept with? You're supposed to ask them, 'Hey, why did you chose missionary over doggie-style?' That seems more than a little inane," Aya responded. The waiter came over with their orders. Aya clapped her hands as a cut pineapple filled with steaming rice, fragrant flowers, and topped with a small mountain of fruits appeared. Sakura had wanted tempura, but she gave into her friend's request. This was Moon Country's traditional welcome-home meal.

"It's not like that. She guided me through meditative techniques to come to terms with and accept the choices we make. Even the seemingly wrong ones." Sakura wasn't sure she was explaining it correctly. But she could feel how Inoue's teachings had changed her. She accepted her feelings towards Naruto, and his towards her. Now, she didn't just know why they had given into temptation but felt at peace with it.

"And this will help you in Tree Country?"

"Yes, she's made me stronger." Coming to terms with her encounter with Sasuke had been far more difficult. For so long, she had repressed the memory of their encounter on the training field. Being asked to relive it had been difficult. Understanding his and her motives and reactions had been much easier than she anticipated. It had been a release. Same as with Naruto. And yet so very different. "After understanding the choices we make, she then asked me to disassociate from them."

"You learned how to do all of this in one night?"

Sakura clasped her hands together. She knew she needed to tell Aya the last part, and she wasn't sure why it bothered her so much. Inoue-chan had taught her how to make the right choices, how to understand other people's motives, how to step outside of the situation. Yet, she still had a residual concern lingering around her.

"Aya-san..."

"Oh no. I hate it when you start using honorifics." Aya held her hands up but remained seated. She lowered her hands. "I've got a feeling you're about to tell me why you really came here. Why you sought me out."

Sakura nodded. She rolled an unused chopstick through her fingers. "Aya-san, I have a favor to ask." Pause. Wait. Continue. "For the last test, Inoue-chan asked me to make another choice. She said that I probably wouldn't understand her request until after I completed my mission..."

"Yes?"

"She told me that I could continue to Hiro's compound with only one of my teammates. She said I had to choose one and find a way to 'drop off' the other somewhere along the way. She said there was a right decision and a wrong one, but she wouldn't tell me until we met again," Sakura said. Aya stared, dumbstruck. She was probably wondering why Sakura went through this training at all. Sakura had to agree that it did sound more than a bit ridiculous now that she was explaining it, but at the time, she felt that it was the best choice she could make. Inoue-chan taught her how to hold an enemy at bay through sexuality without yielding to the power oneself. She taught her how to caress and destroy with the same touch. She led her down the tightrope between love and sex.

"And you chose one?"

She nodded. Aya waited. Sakura picked at a cuticle. Neither of them had eaten a bite of the now cold pineapple and rice dish.

"Aya-san, will you help me keep Naruto here in Moon Country until I return?"


	9. The Plan

_Sorry that it has been so long between chapters. I haven't forgotten; I've just been incredibly busy with work. I've gotten engaged and given a contract to write a book, so between that and the rest of my jobs, there hasn't been much other time. I can't promise when the next chapter will be out, but it will be eventually! Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: No owning of no Naruto-verse here. _

**Chapter Nine: The Plan**

Not that long ago, Kakashi thought he knew his students better than anyone. He had been their teacher, their leader, and maybe even their friend. But they'd grown up, become so powerful in of their own right, and with every passing day, he found himself trailing behind them more and more.

Naruto had become more powerful than him.

Sakura had spent months in an enemy country and befriended one of their jounins.

Sasuke had managed his revenge.

Well, barely. And at the cost of what remained of his once acute mind, but he had still accomplished his vengeance.

They weren't growing up in the ways he had initially envisioned, but he couldn't deny that they were adults now. In so many ways. Naruto and Sakura had even been together.

He cracked his neck. Why did that bother him? He turned to look at Naruto, who sat beside him at the bar, tearing into a large plate of sushi. He didn't want to think of him devouring Sakura in the same way, but he couldn't stop the thought from taking centerstage in his mind's eye. Naruto's chopsticks became nimble extensions of his fingers. Instead of clasping a tuna roll, they clasped Sakura and pulled her close to his mouth. As Naruto switched to slurping his miso soup, the image perverted into that of the blonde's tongue lashing against Sakura's lips. Kakashi tried telling himself it was because he didn't want to think about any of his former students' sexual forays, but he was beginning to admit to himself that there was something more going on. Maybe Inoue had poisoned the air at the brothel to make him feel this way... Maybe he was just worried about the impending nature of the mission... Maybe...

"Are you going to eat that?" Naruto interrupted his train of thought and poked at a lonely piece of sushi on Kakashi's plate with a long chopstick. Kakashi shook his head, and Naruto stole the lone piece of eel roll. He sighed silently. The restaurant was nothing like the ones in Konoha. It smelled strange and was painted in garish colors: neon pink, lime green, and an orange brighter than Naruto's old jumpsuit. The food tasted strange. He ate it anyway, but for all of his travels, he missed home. Of course, when he was back home, he often got antsy to be out again. Kakashi sighed again.

"Want seconds?" Naruto was already flagging down the waiter. Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. He hadn't even finished the first round. "I wish they had ramen here. That would be great. Comparing it to Ko..."

Kakashi clamped his hand over Naruto's mouth. The blonde-eyed boy's eyes went wide as he apparently realized what he was about to say. Good job, Kakashi thought, just tell everybody here that we're from enemy territory! Their waiter chose that exact moment to appear, and his pencil froze in mid-air as he obviously attempted to decipher their situation. Kakashi grinned and quickly removed his hand. Naruto's mouth still hung open, and Kakashi had to slap him on the back to shake the boy back to life.

"Uhm, you wanted to order something else?" The waiter sounded unsure of himself. Naruto began a long list of epicurean delights, and the waiter's pencil sped across his little white pad. The kyubbi container stared up at the ceiling as he counted off items on his fingers. A twinkling glisten of drool formed in the corner of his mouth. Kakashi couldn't help wondering if he couldn't convince Naruto to start wearing a mask.

Just as Naruto finished his epic list, the lights in the restaurant went off. Kakashi's back and legs tensed, trying to be ready for whatever surprises lay in store. The waiter's shoulders slumped.

"Power outage again. Sorry, the kitchen is closed until they restore power," the waiter explained. Naruto practically toppled from his stool. "Not sure how far the outage extends. If you're still hungry, you might want to try Mitsu's down the street. They have a back-up generator."

Before Kakashi could say anything, Naruto was already out the door and racing down the street. He shook his head. Not only were his students grown up, but also they had definitely learned his tricks. Naruto had actually managed to stick Kakashi with the bill.

XXXX

"Do you think this will really work?" Sakura asked. Aya shrugged and adjusted the sleeve of Sakura's kimono. "What? You mean you're not certain?!"

"Look, you asked for my help, and I'm giving it to you. Have some faith in my methods." Aya turned the blue-black wig on Sakura's head.

"How can I faith in your methods if you don't know if this will work?"

"When did I become a psychic? When did I learn how to see into the future? Please let me know because I'd love to be aware of those abilities. I'd find them pretty useful." Aya smiled a large, watery, fake smile at Sakura, who frowned. After asking Aya to stall Naruto in Moon Country, her friend quickly devised a scheme. One she guaranteed the pink-haired kunoichi would work flawlessly. Unfortunately, the scheme also seemed to carry the additional objective of humiliating Sakura. But she was going through with it anyway. Aya had probably guessed that there was more Sakura wasn't saying and figured this would be a good punishment.

But how could Sakura tell her everything? It wasn't a big deal that she had been with Naruto. That was past and finished. A closed book. He was happily married and breeding. She had been worried that this mission might impede on his happiness. Who knew what would really happen when they reached the compound anyway? What if she wasn't the only one in the group forced into some vile act? And even if it was just her? He wouldn't take it well. The fact he couldn't protect her would probably destroy him. She couldn't jeopardize Naruto's emotional state. Not the way she had messed with Sasuke's the night on the training ground. No, Naruto's future with Hinata was at stake. She wanted to preserve some harmony.

And then there was Kakashi. He could handle anything. She trusted him with her life, and she knew he trusted her with his. But that wasn't all. She couldn't tell Aya that her feelings towards him had become odd and occasionally unmanageable. She needed to see through this mission with him so that she could figure things out and get everything back to normal. Even a perfect team may have its bumps and flaws, but this emotional ambiguity she felt near him was annoying.

"Make-up!" Aya cried happily. She opened a large carpetbag with a pattern of constellations and astronomical entities and pulled out large tubes of colored powders. Sakura flashed back to the previous night at Inoue-chan's brothel. Of course, that had been the height of pampering, while now Aya practically attacked her face with rouge and kohl. The scary part was that she knew that the worst was still to come.

Aya had whipped up a ridiculous scheme on par with Naruto's strangest pranks. Besides dressing up Sakura in a pink kimono brighter than her hair, ravaging her face with make-up, and plopping that obnoxious dark wig on her head, she had even arranged a black-out at dinner time, essentially forcing Naruto and Kakashi to appear. Mitsu's was the only restaurant for miles with a generator. Sakura trembled. Not only would they be there, but also the entire city would probably show up. Oi, oi, oi...

"Focus, Sakura! Don't get stage fright on me now," Aya said. She slapped Sakura's cheeks "for extra color." Sakura's stomach churned.

"Aya, I don't think I can do this..."

"Nonsense. You asked for my help, and I'm going to give it, even if I need to force it down your throat. Or at least force you on stage. Good Kami, what do they teach you over there anyway? Didn't anyone ever teach you how to properly karaoke?" Aya asked. Sakura almost threw up at the word. She really didn't want to think about what was about to happen. "You'll do just fine, sweet cheeks!"

"But..."

"No buts. You get up on that stage. I'll take care of Naruto, and you'll take care of Kakashi." Aya paused and was apparently considering something. "Hey, have you noticed that he is your only teammate that you haven't slept with?"

"That's not true!" Sakura argued. She thought about Sai and Yamato-san. The idea of sleeping with either of them repulsed her. But then it quickly dawned on her that she didn't include Kakashi in that group. Her stomach flipped inside of her. That wasn't why she had chosen him, was it? Oh, why was she doing any of this? Now that it had been hours since the training session, she found herself beginning to question Inoue-chan's methods. Why was she listening to her? Hadn't her shishou ordered both of them to come on this mission with her? Would stalling Naruto be disobeying the Hokage directly?

"Snap out of it! Oi, that's the problem with you smart girls – you overthink everything. I swear I can practically read your thoughts as they go across your eyeballs. You wear every emotion like an ANBU mask!" Aya cried. She added more pancake powder to Sakura's forehead.

"Aya?" Sakura's voice dwindled as the question slowly came out. "What if I did select him because of some, uhm, feelings?"

"Well, then, that's between you and him, isn't it? He's not your sensei anymore, you know, and you're not some kid like when you first came here."

"I was not a kid!" Sakura argued. Aya laughed hard and slapped a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't get off topic. From what I've seen and heard of your two teammates, I think you chose wisely. Not because Naruto wouldn't be a great companion on this mission of yours. There's no doubt about that, but for you and for this, I think you should take Kakashi."

"Do you think it's ridiculous that I'm doing this?"

"That you're dressing up and about to karaoke? Of course, but then again, why do you think I pushed you into it?" Aya laughed again, ignoring Sakura's glare. "But seriously, again, this is something you need to figure out for yourself. For whatever reason, you decided this would be a good idea to follow. And while you apparently don't trust your own reasoning, I do. And I've got a feeling that when this is all over with that it won't be Inoue-chan who will explain to you why this took place. I think... No, I believe that you will figure it out for yourself."

She was right, of course. As ridiculous and exuberant as Aya could be, she was rarely wrong. Sakura believed that, even more than she believed her own thoughts. Aya disappeared for a moment and came back with a book and a grin.

"You better select a song. Your audience is here and waiting!"


	10. Mitsu's

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto.

**Chapter Ten: Mitsu's**

"So, Kakashi-sensei,.." Naruto's voice dropped to an exaggerated whisper. Even Kakashi had to lean in closer to hear. "Why is Moon Country our enemy?" They walked up the block to Mitsu's, which beamed like an electric oasis through the blacked out neighborhood. A swarm of people emerged from nearby restaurants and bars, all heading towards Mitsu's. Kakashi sighed and wished that Naruto had asked his questions in a less conspicuous location. Hell, he wished that Naruto would find a bottom to his endless pit of a stomach. They were going to have a long day tomorrow, and he really wanted to catch up with Sakura to discuss final details. Though with the black-out, she and Aya would probably be heading to Mitsu's as well. He still wasn't sure what he thought of Aya. She seemed far too extraverted and showy to be a serious shinobi. Like Naruto. Of course, Naruto had proven him wrong many times. "Kakashi-sensei?"

"Generations ago, a young noble woman from Fire Country was supposed to marry a prince from the Hidden Village of Sun in Moon. They had been betrothed since birth. On the day of the wedding, the princess never showed up. A few days later, she was found hiding in Konoha, having run off with one of her own servants. Since she was from Fire Country, Konoha provided refuge, which made Moon Country furious. They began making ridiculous accusations, such as piracy on their rivers and that Fire Country was plotting with their enemies. In the end, a cold war started between the two countries, and while fighting has rarely commenced, it's remained a tense situation. Nor did it help that Sasuke's battle with Itachi took place near here. Destroyed quite a number of crop fields and homes on the outskirts." Kakashi had always wondered if there wasn't more to the story. He had felt that it was just an excuse to cover up some larger plot or conspiracy, but even though they were camping in enemy territory, he didn't feel like it was his responsibility to uncover or resolve any lingering tensions. Politics made him queasy.

"Oh." Naruto squinted at him. Apparently the story hadn't been enough for him either. He didn't elaborate or share his personal feelings on the subject. Besides, they were already at Mitsu's. "Do you think they have ramen?" Kakashi sighed and shook his head. If Naruto would have his way, he'd save the entire world – through food probably. Not a bad way to handle things, really.

Mitsu's was indeed swarmed with people. He didn't care for that. The place was dim and he could just make out the dull thrum of the generators below the pounding music and ongoing conversations. That was good. They probably wouldn't be noticed... Kakashi turned on his heels just in time to see Naruto climb on top of an occupied table, waving his arms frantically. The people sitting around the table gaped and laughed.

"There's got to be a better way to get a waiter..." Kakashi mumbled to himself as he went to collect his wayward former student. But as soon as he drew closer, he saw that it wasn't a waiter or food that had caught Naruto's attention. Oh no. It wasn't something all together different. Something all together... What the hell?

Up on a small stage with the lone bright light stood a trembling Sakura, dressed in a brilliant shade of pink and sporting a disastrous dark wig. What was she doing? Then he noticed the microphone in her hand. Oh no. Oh no. She couldn't possibly be planning to do _that_, could she?

Naruto turned to Kakashi with a ridiculously wide grin. Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose. This had to be some sort of bad dream. They weren't stuck in a black out in an enemy country with Sakura about to sing. This wasn't happening.

"_If I leave here tomorrow... Would you still remember me?"_

Kakashi wished he had stuck cotton balls in the emergency kit that he kept in his side pouch. Hadn't she taken singing lessons in her kunoichi classes? The whole room grabbed their ears. Only Naruto seemed immune as he pumped his fists along with the song. And Aya. The girl leaned casually against the stage, bobbing her head in time to the music. For that matter, what the hell was Sakura singing?

"_For I must be traveling on now, cause there's too many place I've got to see..."_

Sakura had begun to relax and get into the song. She shifted weight from foot to foot and grabbed the mic with more confidence. Oi. So, well, now he knew there was actually one thing out there she didn't do well. With some of the thoughts he had lately, he could at least focus on this instead. Though, he realized as he even considered that, it was so horrible as to be endearing.

He started to settle and relax as Sakura reached the chorus. As soon as she started singing about how she was "free as a bird," everything suddenly fell apart.

Before even Kakashi realized what was happening, Aya was up on the stage and tearing the mic away from Sakura. She was gesturing strongly and yelling something about Naruto. Sakura looked frightened but not surprised. Kakashi immediately fell into a defensive posture before he even made out Aya's ranting.

"He's an enemy! From Fire Country! From Konoha!" she screamed. Sakura tried grabbing the mic back from her, but Aya held her grip.

"Stop it! That's not what we... Stop! Give me..."

Aya ignored her and simply shoved Sakura off the stage. Even through the throng, Kakashi could see the chakra starting to glow in the angered girl's fists. He nearly threw out his neck glancing back and forth between Sakura, who nearly flew back onto the stage, and Naruto, who still seemed to be processing the entire scene.

"Naruto! Run!" Kakashi appeared briefly behind the boy and whispered in his ear. Naruto gave him a funny look but nodded. "Meet us back at the training field." Naruto fled.

"Sakura!" Kakashi darted through the crowd to grab her. Half of her wig was off, and her kimono was sliding off one shoulder as she readied to punch Aya. The enemy kunoichi appeared nonplussed as she continued shouting about Naruto. He wondered why she hadn't mentioned either Sakura or himself.

"This isn't what we talked about..." Sakura said through gritted teeth as Kakashi grabbed her arms and pulled her into him. She squirmed and he had to duck her thrashing, chakra-charged feet and fists. Most of the people from the club had disappeared, either chasing after Naruto or fleeing in fear of some sort of assault from Fire Country. A few remained and stared at the trio but made no move to stop them.

Aya turned calmly and faced the restrained girl. "He'll be fine. I'll get to him before they do and get him back home. I held up my half of the bargain. Go hold up yours and get out of here. Both of you."

"This is..."

"Over. I know. I'll be sorry for that, Sakura-chan. Hopefully, you'll realize later that this was the best way."

"Bitch."

Aya shook her head. Kakashi tried piecing everything together, but there was something important he was missing. He just didn't know what. "Go. Now. He'll be fine. Trust..." Before she could finish, Kakashi retreated with a flailing Sakura, cupping his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming.

Once they were behind the bar, he pinned her against the damp, brick wall to keep her from running back. He wasn't sure if she'd go after Aya or Naruto, and right now, he couldn't handle either. He needed answers. And he needed them now.

"Let go of me, Kakashi!" Apparently she had stopped having a problem tagging any honorifics to his name. "Let go of me now!"

"Not a chance. You have to calm down, and you have to tell me what is going on. The quicker you do that, the quicker we can take care of the rest." He wasn't concerned about Naruto escaping the crowd. He hadn't noticed many shinobi in the group, and Naruto could definitely outrun any of the few he had sensed. He just hoped the boy didn't do anything stupid like fight any of them.

"I'm going to kill Aya!" she screamed, as her face reddened.

"She wasn't lying to you," Kakashi said. That stopped Sakura, who stared at him as if he had dropped his mask by accident. "I don't know what that was, but I know she wasn't lying to you."

"What? You can just sense that?"

Kakashi sighed. Sakura should be able to read body language, chakra readings, and timbre better than that. And while Aya could be a great actress, she wasn't better than his sharingan. Sakura knew all this. He stared down at her, wondering how to get her to calm down. Her face was strong and furious. The wig had disappeared, and perspiration had cleared away the awful make-up. She was worked up, passionate, and breathing hard. Her eyes bored into his, and he could feel the heat rising from her. It took everything he had not to smash his mouth against hers. Suddenly, Sakura wasn't the only one who needed to calm down.

He released her and stepped back. Sakura slumped to her knees.

"What is going on?"

She turned away from him before she began to speak. "I can't tell you."

"Then, we're not going anywhere. You can't keep secrets during a mission. Not like this." He hoped she wouldn't point out his hypocrisy. "Naruto will be fine. You know he will be. And Aya wasn't lying. I don't know why she did that, but she'll make sure he isn't trampled by the crowd."

"She's trying to get him to go home."

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. "And why would she be doing that?"

"Because I asked her to. Naruto needs to be home. With Hinata. Not out here. Not now."

"And you just decided this? Without consulting either of us? Without..." He suddenly felt his own fury start to rise, but when he looked down at her again, his anger dissipated. She was crying into her hands. What was he still missing?

"I'm sorry. Inoue-chan told me to choose one. So I chose. I thought it was the right thing to do," she said. Kakashi had no idea what she talking about. He knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. This seemed to make Sakura cry more, but he didn't remove the offending appendage. "I'm so sorry. She said it was important for me to choose one. And you seemed to condone the training... I think... I need to go fix things!" She started to stand up, but Kakashi held her down. She turned up to him, and he stared at her, questioning. Sakura burst out into tears once again. She swallowed her wail and collected herself. "She said I could only complete this mission with one of you. Naruto should be home with Hinata. I can't be thinking about that when we reach Tree Country. I can't do this by myself, but I also can't do it with both of you. I need you, Kakashi. Just you."

Kakashi pulled his hand away so that she wouldn't notice how it had begun to tremble. He suddenly understood what had happened. Sakura had told this to Aya who had concocted the whole scheme. He wouldn't have put it past her to have arranged the black-out. He had been right. Aya wouldn't let Naruto get hurt. She had done this to fulfill Sakura's wishes, even though Sakura didn't seem to understand that. She would though. Soon enough. How else would Aya have convinced Naruto to go home?

Sakura had chosen him. His breath slowed while his pulse quickened. Kakashi trusted Inoue the way he trusted few people. And she knew better than anyone else how to prepare a young woman to be with a man, especially a man she had no interest in being with. He hated this mission. He hated that Sakura might have to face something as traumatic as that. He hated that it was for something "noble" enough to warrant her facing this situation. And he particularly hated the way he wanted to scoop her up in his arms and cradle her gently until it was all over.

Instead of giving into his seething hatred, he pushed it back down with everything else he was holding in and hiding. He sighed and offered a hand to Sakura, who stared at it for a moment before taking it and standing up.

"We should leave. Once we cross into Tree Country we can take a break," he said. Sakura dried her eyes and nodded. Kakashi bit his tongue lightly. From here on in, it was just going to be the two of them. Alone.


	11. Traveling

Purely fanfic. No ownership claimed. All characters are of legal age.

Sorry that these chapters keep ending up so late in coming. I hope it's been worth waiting for.

**Chapter Eleven: Traveling **

They immediately left the Hidden Village of Sun. Though they had rested there for over half a day, the shortcut had still cut off significant time from the trip. If everything went according to plan, it would take less than two days to reach Tea Country. Maybe even less if they could keep up the speed they were using.

Sakura channeled her chakra to her legs, but she couldn't seem to maintain the same control on her heart, which beat twice as fast as she would have liked. Not that she didn't understand why; she had so much bubbling inside of her. Most of her life had consisted of stretches of normalcy (or what would a shinobi would consider to be normal) interspersed with bursts of chaos. This was definitely one of those bursts. And she knew she was still hovering on the front edge of it. The thick, curdled middle was yet to come. She groaned, thinking of what Hiro could possibly be like, of what the complex might consist of, and of what she might have to do. But no, that wasn't the only reason, she knew. She hated admitting to herself but she was also flustered about continuing this trip with Kakashi and without Naruto.

Sakura shoved a tree branch from her face. As they moved beyond the mountains, the terrain changed to a lush, uninhabited forest. The goal was to see Gilded Goose Lake before making camp. She guessed it would probably be another two hours before they would make out the misty water's horizon. They had already traveled for at least three hours. It'd be about one in the morning before breaking. She tried convincing herself that she wasn't tired, that bedtime wasn't so far away, but she continued on in a state of limbo: exhausted from travel coupled with hyperactive anxiety.

Besides confirming the occasional move or plan, Kakashi had yet to say anything since they had left Sun. He had said they would break once they crossed into Tree Country. She hadn't really understood that. He couldn't have possibly meant sleeping, eating, or resting, since they would obviously need to do that between now and then. Did he mean they would lounge around? That didn't make any sense at all. She shook her head. She would ask later, if he suddenly became more talkative. Not that she was any better. With the ongoing conversation in her head, she hadn't thought she'd be able to hold a real discussion. Not something out loud. Not with him.

"You're tired," Kakashi said abruptly, interrupting her thoughts. She didn't confirm or deny what he said. She knew he could tell. She must have been closer to her breaking point than she had realized. Maybe the inner voices would calm down after a few hours' sleep.

Except they didn't stop. They continued for another thirty minutes: running, jumping, nearly flying. Her muscles began to ache somewhat. Oi, she thought, what a great jounin I've become. Can't even continue like this for a few short hours?

"You're exhausted." Kakashi again interrupted her thoughts. She shrugged. Her thoughts had started the down turn into self-loathing. She must have been fatigued. "Let's stop up ahead."

"But the lake..."

"Will still be there tomorrow. But I'm not sure either of us will be if we don't stop soon."

"Ah, so when you said that I'm exhausted, you actually meant both of us," Sakura said with a small smile of triumph. Kakashi shook his head.

"No, you're exhausted. I'm a bit bushed but give me twenty minutes to recoup, and I'd have another five hours in me. You, on the other hand..." His exposed eye literally twinkled in the moonlight. Sakura glared. She skidded to a stop and jumped down from her branch. The forest floor was soft, like walking on new, plush teddy bears. She scanned the area for people but felt nothing. She tested the space for potential threats, but again, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She was about to plop down when Kakashi reached down, grabbed her arms, and pulled her back up.

The ground immediately gave way.

"A sinkhole?" she asked, surprised and ashamed that she hadn't noticed. But the concern was quickly replaced with a new one. Kakashi was still holding her. He crouched low on a branch and held her wrists as she dangled below. She tipped her head back to watch him. He surveyed the area, apparently trying to determine where to land before depositing her. This was humiliating. She flipped up, breaking free of his restraint, and landed on the branch above him. He looked up at her with some surprise. "I think we have two options." When he didn't object, she continued. "We could either sleep here in the branches or in the roots. The ground should be sturdy enough at the base of the tree." To her surprise, he nodded.

"The branches aren't thick enough. Let's camp by the roots," he said. She waited until he plopped down at the foot of the tree. After he confirmed her idea, she jumped down and joined him. There wasn't much space between the roots except for one sizeable patch. They both gravitated towards it. "Why don't you sleep? I'll take the first watch."

Sakura just nodded and knelt into the welcoming earth. She pulled her knapsack beneath her head for a pillow and curled into a ball. Even with her eyes closed and her back to him, she could feel him watching her. She tried to slow her racing mind and pounding heart but feeling his eyes on her hair, her neck, her back heightened her anxiety. She didn't know how to tell him to stop.

An anxiety that was only worsened by what he did next.

Much to Sakura's surprise, she felt a pair of fingers appear in her hair. They tussled a few strands around before gently digging into her scalp. He was actually caressing her skin. Sakura could feel every hair on her body suddenly jump.

"What are you doing?" she asked, trying to sound calm and unperturbed.

"You are about to explode, Sakura-chan. You don't need to be a shinobi to feel the tension radiating off of you. I thought if we continued at that breakneck pace that you would eventually get tired enough to actually relax and sleep. It seems I was wrong." He sounded so matter-of-fact, even as his fingers danced across her head and her neck. Her first thought was to wonder how on earth this would relax her, but even as the thought appeared, she felt herself begin to slowly decompress. She said nothing for a few minutes and just let his hand glide over her, somehow taking all of her concerns away with each touch.

"You're very good at this," she murmured as sleep began to seep in. "This is more of a medic-nin technique..."

"My mother used to do this to me when I was child. It helped me sleep." His voice had become softer, more pliant. She yawned and stretched, only to find herself resettling against his leg. He was right there. Beside her. He would make sure nothing bad happened.

No, she corrected herself, _they_ would make sure nothing bad happened. Together. She smiled as she drifted off to sleep.

XXXX

Kakashi watched her give into slumber. Such a beautiful sight. He tried telling himself that he was only massaging her scalp to assist, but he knew the truth. He couldn't not touch her. Not after all those hours of not touching her. No, all those years.

He sighed. Had it been this hard when he accepted this assignment? Had he realized all of this then? Not on a conscious level. But maybe on a...

What was that?

He straightened against the tree trunk and stilled his hand. He cocked his head to the side and listened. That wasn't a raccoon. No. He held his breath and listened. Somewhere nearby, he could hear soft footsteps. He sniffed the air, but they were too far away and the wind was against him. His free hand reached for his pouch, but before he could pull a kunai out, Sakura had already tossed two straight ahead of them.

She was awake? He glanced down and saw that she wasn't kneeling so much as crouching. Her eyes were wide but focused. He followed her trail of sight and made out the shadows of something yards beyond them.

He lifted his hand, and Sakura crept sideways, up onto a tree root. She carried three shuriken in one hand and channeled chakra in the other. She stole a sideways look at him, mouthed a quick plan, and he nodded.

Within moments, a shower of kunai rigged with explosives descended upon them. They leapt into the tree, knowing full well that's where the enemy wanted them. They just didn't know why yet. Kakashi scanned the branches but didn't find any nets or traps. He didn't feel comfortable with the situation, but he wasn't sure where else to go. They couldn't stay up in the air, and the ground was unstable. Sakura settled on her branch confidently and when it began to buckle beneath her, she didn't reach for one above her but nearly flew to a tree several feet away. Kakashi changed course for a different tree but paused only for a moment before alighting again. Sure enough, the branch also buckled.

He made a series of hand gestures, grunted an instruction, and let the sudden water dragon beneath his feet carry him sky-high. He shot down after Sakura as she tore through the woods. Like a phantom, she appeared and disappeared. He caught quick glances of the enemy... five of them? Maybe six? He sniffed the air. There was at least six. He continued after Sakura. According to her plan, he would pick her up at the fourteenth tree to the right. He calculated, adjusted for windspeed, and made his final swoop.

Sakura appeared on the tallest branch and reached for his outstretched hand. Even in the coldness of fighting, he smiled at her, still maintaining that need to reassure her he would take care of everything. He still smiled as she disappeared below him, caught by the unknown enemy. It wasn't until they were all gone did his face harden.

So much for reassurances.


End file.
